Fig. 8.

Deletion of PKCε leads to a higher upregulation of pancreatic prosurvival Bcl-2 proteins in cerulein pancreatitis. Protein levels of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL were measured by Western blot analysis for pancreatic tissue homogenates (A, left) and mitochondrial membrane fractions (B) at indicated times after the induction of pancreatitis. The densities of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL bands were quantified and normalized to the control. Blots of ERK1/2 or COX IV were for loading controls. RT-PCR (A, right) shows higher Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL mRNA expression in pancreatic tissue of PKCε−/− mice with cerulein (CR) pancreatitis. Mouse 18S ribosomal RNA was used as a reference (housekeeping) gene. For either Bcl-xL or m18S PCR, samples were run in a single gel but were not continuous, as indicated by a line between lanes. The densities of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL mRNA bands were quantified and normalized to the controls. Numbers to the right of the gel are DNA size markers in base pairs.