Journal: Nature Metabolism
Article Title: NADPH-producing enzymes restrict the formation of pancreatic precancerous lesions
doi: 10.1038/s42255-026-01496-x
Figure Lengend Snippet: a . Mice with mutant G6pd , that mimics human G6PD-deficiency, were bred into the KC ( LSL-Kras G12D ; Ptf1a Cre ) line. Cre was always maintained in female breeders. Experiments used both male and female G6pd mutant mice, where females were homozygous for mutant G6pd ( G6pd mut/mut ) and males were hemizygous for mutant G6pd ( G6pd mut/y ), as G6pd is an X-linked gene. G6pd wildtype mice used in experiments were obtained in the same colony and age matched littermates of G6pd mutant mice when possible. Female G6pd wildtype mice have two wildtype copies of G6pd ( G6pd wt/wt ) and males have one wildtype copy (their only copy) of G6pd ( G6pd wt/y ). In the schematics and labelling, “y” in male mice refers to the y chromosome, which does not contain a copy of G6pd . b . Schematic of 14 C-labeling experiment. [1- 14 C]glucose (blue) can be used in both the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (ox PPP) and the TCA cycle. [6- 14 C]glucose (red) can be used in the TCA cycle. Released CO 2 represented as clouds; G6PD mutation represented as star. c . Graph depicting the relative amount of [ 14 C]-labeled CO 2 derived from glucose tracing in G6pd mut mice relative to G6pd wt mice (n = 2 biological replicates). Blue bar shows the relative [ 14 C]-labeled CO 2 derived from [1- 14 C]glucose, which is generated from either the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (oxPPP) or the TCA cycle. Red bar shows the relative amount of [ 14 C]-labeled CO 2 derived from [6- 14 C]glucose, which is only generated from the TCA cycle. Grey bar shows the ratio of [ 14 C]-labeled CO 2 derived from [1- 14 C]O 2 to [6- 14 C]O 2 representing flux from the oxPPP. Bars represent the biological replicates’ mean. d . Hematoxylin & eosin (H&E) staining and immunostaining for amylase (AMY; acinar cells), cytokeratin 19 (CK19; ductal, metaplastic, neoplastic cells), and KI67 (proliferation) in pancreata from 8-week-old KC;G6pd wt and KC;G6pd mut mice. Scale bar = 50μm. e . Percent of Amylase+ area in pancreas as quantified from male (closed circle) and female (open circle) mice in KC;G6pd wt (grey bar) and KC;G6pd mut (blue bar) mice at 8 weeks. n = 4 mice for each genotype. Bars represent the mean with standard deviation. P-values were calculated using a Student’s t-test (unpaired, two-tailed). f . Percent of CK19+ cells and g . Ki67+ cells in the pancreas as quantified from male (closed circle) and female (open circle) KC;G6pd wt (grey bar) and KC;G6pd mut (blue bar) mice at 8 weeks. n = 5 mice for each genotype. Bars represent the mean with standard deviation. P-values were calculated using a Student’s t-test (unpaired, two-tailed). h . Immunostaining for Amylase (AMY), in 8-week and 16-week-old KC;G6pd wt and KC;G6pd mut pancreas. Alcian blue (PanIN-produced mucin) & nuclear fast red counterstain in pancreas of 26-week-old KC;G6pd wt and KC;G6pd mut mice. Scale bar = 500μm. i . Pancreas weight (PW) to body weight (BW) ratios in 8-, 16-, and 26-week-old KC;G6pd wt and KC;G6pd mut mice. Bars represent the mean with standard deviation. Ratios are not significantly different, as calculated using a Student’s t-test (unpaired, two-tailed) for each age. Sample sizes for each age are as follows: 8 week, n = 11 KC;G6pd wt and n = 8 KC;G6pd mut ; 16 week, n = 9 KC;G6pd wt and n = 8 KC;G6pd mut ; 26 week, n = 8 KC;G6pd wt and n = 8 KC;G6pd mut . j . Pathological grading of 26-week-old KC;G6pd wt and KC;G6pd mut pancreas tissues representing the % of total tissue area with acinar cells, ADM, and PanIN lesions. n = 5 KC;G6pd wt mice; n = 7 KC;G6pd mut mice. Bars represent the mean with standard deviation. P-values were calculated using a two-way ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparisons test. k . Pathological grading of 1-year-old KC;G6pd wt and KC;G6pd mut pancreas tissues representing the % of total tissue area with acinar cells, ADM, and PanIN lesions. n = 5 mice per genotype. Bars represent the mean with standard deviation. P-values were calculated using a two-way ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparisons test.
Article Snippet: LSL -Kras G12D mice (Jackson Laboratory, strain no. 008179) were crossed with Ptf1a CreERTM mice to generate LSL- Kras G12D ; Ptf1a CreERTM mice and maintained on a C57BL/6J background.
Techniques: Mutagenesis, Labeling, Derivative Assay, Generated, Staining, Immunostaining, Standard Deviation, Two Tailed Test, Produced