Functional analysis of a pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor-like protein in insects: silencing effects resemble the human pancreatic autodigestion phenotype KU Leuven
INTRODUCTION: In mammalian pancreatic cells, the pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor (PSTI) prevents the premature activation of digestive enzymes and thus plays an important role in a protective mechanism against tissue destruction by autophagy, a process which may ultimately cause diseases such as pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. Insects, however, lack a pancreas and so far no PSTI-like peptides are functionally characterized. RESULTS: ...