is it mediated by the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway?
McCarroll JA, Phillips PA, Park S, Doherty E, Pirola RC, Wilson JS, Apte MV. Pancreas 2003; 27:150-60. [Full text] (PMID 12883264) BACKGROUND: Pancreatic fibrosis is a characteristic feature of alcoholic chronic pancreatitis. Recent studies suggest that activated pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) are the major cell-type involved in pancreatic fibrogenesis. Cultured PSCs become activated when exposed to ethanol or its metabolite acetaldehyde (as indicated by increased alpha-smooth muscle actin [alpha-SMA] expression and increased collagen synthesis). However the intracellular signaling mechanisms responsible for ethanol- or acetaldehyde-induced PSC activation remain to be fully elucidated. One of the major signaling pathways known to regulate protein synthesis in mammalian cells is the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MARK) pathway. AIMS: To examine the effects of ethanol and acetaldehyde on the MAPK pathway (by assessing the activities of the 3 major subfamilies (extracellular-regulate
