Analysis of Pancreatic Acinar Protein Solubility in Autophagy-Deficient Mice

Autophagy of the endoplasmic reticulum, or ER-phagy, maintains the homeostasis of the secretory pathway. This is particularly prominent in specialized secretory cells such as the acinar cells of the exocrine pancreas. The role for such a homeostatic pathway during ageing of mammals is modelled best by in vivo genetic or pharmacologic intervention in mice. This is due to the paucity of cellular models that can maintain acinar identity outside of an animal. Here we present methods for isolation of soluble and insoluble protein fractions of ER luminal proteins from the pancreas, alongside RNA. Analysis of these macromolecules allows inference of changes in ER luminal proteostasis upon autophagy-targeted interventions. These methods will likely be more widely applicable, beyond autophagy research.