Deletion of PKCε decreases NF-κB activation, blood amylase activity, and intrapancreatic trypsin activation in pancreatitis. A: NF-κB binding activities in 30 min after 1 injection of cerulein (CR) were measured in nuclear extracts by EMSA. Bottom: EMSA band intensities were quantified and normalized on the saline control. Values are means ± SE (n = 3), *P < 0.05 vs. WT mice with cerulein. B: serum amylase activity at 7 hourly cerulein injection. Values are means ± SE (n = 3), *P < 0.05 vs. WT mice with cerulein; Western blot analysis (bottom) shows similar pancreatic amylase expression levels in WT and PKCε−/−. C: intrapancreatic trypsin activation in pancreatitis. Values are means ± SE (n = 3), *P < 0.05 vs. WT mice treated with cerulein at the same indicated time points. Western blot analysis of pancreatic trypsinogen (bottom) shows that PKCε deletion does not alter pancreatic expression of this enzyme. Blots of GAPDH in B and C for loading controls. D: intracellular trypsin activation induced by stimulation with CCK (100 nM) for 30 min in isolated pancreatic acini. Values are means ± SE (n = 3), *P < 0.05 vs. WT mouse acini stimulated with CCK.