statement: p.E152K-STIM1 variant found in pancreatitis patients leads to intracellular changes in calcium homeostasis through SERCA interaction, enabling intracellular trypsin activation and pancreatic acinar cell death.
ABSTRACTSince deregulation of intracellular Ca 2+ can lead to intracellular trypsin activation and STIM1 (stromal interaction molecule-1) protein is the main regulator of Ca 2+ homeostasis in pancreatic acinar cells, we explored the Ca 2+ signaling in 37 STIM1 variants found in three pancreatitis patient cohorts. Extensive functional analysis of one particular variant, p.E152K, identified in three patients, provided a plausible link between dysregulated Ca 2+ signaling within pancreatic acinar cells and chronic pancreatitis susceptibility. Specifically, p.E152K, located within the STIM1 EF-hand and sterile α-motif domain, increased the release of Ca 2+ from the endoplasmic reticulum in patient-derived fibroblasts and transfected HEK293T cells. This event was mediated by altered STIM1-sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium transport ATPase (SERCA) interactions and enhanced SERCA pump activity leading to increased Store Operated Calcium Entry (SOCE).In the pancreatic AR42J cells expressing the p.E152K variant, Ca 2+ -signaling perturbations correlated with defects in trypsin activation and secretion, and increased cytotoxicity after cholecystokinin stimulation.