Figure 1.

ATF6 is upregulated in SAP pancreatic tissues from patients and PRSS1 transgenic (PRSS1^Tg) mice accompanying with elevated apoptosis. (A) ATF6 expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry. (B) The localization and expression of ATF6 were examined by immunoelectron microscopy (IEM); black arrows (↑): representative gold nanoparticles. (C) Histological alterations, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, acinar cell apoptosis, and microstructural changes in pancreatic tissues from human and PRSS1^Tg mice were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, immunohistochemistry, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assays and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) as indicated. black arrows (↑): cell nuclei; white arrows (↑): endoplasmic reticula; blue arrows (↑): zymogen granules; purple arrows (↑): mitochondria; red arrows (↑): apoptotic bodies. (-), not treated with caerulein; (+), treated with caerulein. The data are presented as the means ± SDs; * p ≤ 0.05, ** p ≤ 0.01, *** p ≤ 0.001. Scale bars = 100 µm.