Serine/threonine phosphatases play a role in stimulus-secretion coupling in pancreatic acinar cells.

The role of serine/threonine phosphatases in Ca2+/IP3- and cAMP- mediated stimulus-secretion coupling was investigated in isolated pancreatic acinar cells. Cyclosporine A, an inhibitor of type 2b serine/threonine phosphatases, maximally reduced CCK-8-stimulated amylase secretion by 33%. In contrast, the secretory response to secretin or PACAP-(1-27) was not significantly altered by cyclosporine A independent of the secretagogue-concentration okadaic acid significantly reduced amylase release, induced by Ca2+/IP3-mediated- (CCK-8) or cAMP-mediated agonists (secretin, PACAP-(1-27), VIP) at concentrations that primarily inactivate type 1 and 2b phosphatases. Calyculin A, another type 1 and 2a phosphatase inhibitor, had a similar inhibitory effect on CCK-8-, secretin- or PACAP-(1-27)-induced secretion. In permeabilized acini, cyclosporine A reduced calcium-induced amylase release by 20%, whereas okadaic acid and calyculin A had an inhibitory effect by 55% and 52%, respectively. The ultrastructure of CsA-incubated acinar cells was not different from vehicle-incubated control lobules. In contrast, incubation with okadaic acid for 60 min resulted in morphological alterations of the Golgi apparatus, leading to a fragmentation of Golgi cisternae into small vesicles. Our data suggest a role of type 1 and 2b phospatases in stimulus-secretion coupling of both signal-transduction pathways in pancreatic acinar cells. These phosphatases might also be important for the maintenance of pancreatic cellular ultrastructure.