Western diet-induced ultrastructural changes in mouse pancreatic acinar cells.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to study the ultrastructural changes in pancreatic acinar cells induced by a Western Diet in mice, focusing on its association with type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty pancreas disease.
Results Summary
The study found that a Western Diet caused significant structural damage to pancreatic acinar cells, including necrosis, vacuolization, lipid accumulation, altered mitochondrial morphology, and increased autophagic structures, even before detectable changes in plasma amylase activity.
Population
Laboratory mice (model organism for diet-induced type 2 diabetes).
Effective Dosage
Not specified.
Duration
Not specified.
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
western diet feeding | increase | diabetic-like glucose dysregulation | mice | - | induced | #1 |
western diet feeding | increase | acinar necrosis and vacuolization of the cytoplasm | pancreatic acinar cells of mice | - | were the most prominent features | #2 |
western diet feeding | increase | intracellular and extracellular accumulation of lipid compounds in the form of lipid droplets | pancreatic acinar cells of mice | - | observed | #3 |
western diet feeding | increase | structural enlargement of the cisternae of the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) | pancreatic acinar cells of mice | - | observed | #4 |
western diet feeding | increase | altered mitochondrial morphology, with mitochondria lacking the typical organization of the inner membrane | pancreatic acinar cells of mice | - | observed | #5 |
western diet feeding | increase | autophagic structures, i.e., autophagosomes, autolysosomes, and residual bodies | acinar cells of western diet-fed mice | - | were abundant | #6 |
western diet feeding | increase | lipids and material of varying electron density | autolysosomes in acinar cells of western diet-fed mice | - | contained | #7 |
diets inducing obesity and type 2 diabetes | increase | structural changes and dysfunction of the endocrine pancreas | - | - | are clearly associated with | #8 |
dietary intervention | increase | structure of acinar cells in the exocrine part of the organ | - | - | demonstrate the strong effect | #9 |
western diet feeding | no change | plasma amylase activity | - | - | before detectable changes | #10 |
Mouse models of diet-induced type 2 diabetes mellitus provide powerful tools for studying the structural and physiological changes that are related to the disease progression. In this study, diabetic-like glucose dysregulation was induced in mice by feeding them a western diet, and light and transmission electron microscopy were used to study the ultrastructural changes in the pancreatic acinar cells. Acinar necrosis and vacuolization of the cytoplasm were the most prominent features. Furthermore, we observed intracellular and extracellular accumulation of lipid compounds in the form of lipid droplets, structural enlargement of the cisternae of the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER), and altered mitochondrial morphology, with mitochondria lacking the typical organization of the inner membrane. Last, autophagic structures, i.e., autophagosomes, autolysosomes, and residual bodies, were abundant within the acinar cells of western diet-fed mice, and the autolysosomes contained lipids and material of varying electron density. While diets inducing obesity and type 2 diabetes are clearly associated with structural changes and dysfunction of the endocrine pancreas, we here demonstrate the strong effect of dietary intervention on the structure of acinar cells in the exocrine part of the organ before detectable changes in plasma amylase activity, which may help us better understand the development of non-alcoholic fatty pancreas disease and its association with endo- and exocrine dysfunction.