Figure 3.

Ucn1 colocalizes with amylase in acinar cells. Ucn1 mRNA was induced de novo in acinar AR42J cells treated with 10⁻⁷ mol/L caerulein for 1 h. CRF mRNA expression was present under basal conditions and was not induced de novo. Ucn2 and CRF₁ mRNA were not detected at baseline (Con) or after caerulein treatment in acinar cells, but were present in brain (Br) mRNA. Cyclophilin was used as a normalization control (A). Caerulein treatment increased amylase-IR in acinar cells in WT mice and colocalized with Ucn1-IR in male and female mice (B, C), respectively (63×); sections stained without any primary antibody served as negative controls (D). Serum amylase activity increased over basal (control) levels (*p < 0.05) in WT (grey bars) and Crhr2^−/− (blue bars) mice (E), and Ucn1 treatment (hashed grey and blue bars) significantly decreased amylase release (**p < 0.05 versus WT; ***p < 0.05 versus Crhr2^−/−). Amylase release from AR42J cells (F). Caerulein treatment increased amylase release (*p < 0.05) and 10⁻⁷ mol/L Ucn1 treatment decreased release (**p < 0.05). Statistical analyses were by ANOVA. Data represent mean ± SEM of three replicates per group.