Hexosamine Biosynthetic Pathway-Derived O-GlcNAcylation Is Critical for RANKL-Mediated Osteoclast Differentiation

Inhibition of LPL suppresses the osteoclast differentiation of bone-marrow-derived macrophages by promoting the ACSL4 ubiquitination

BACKGROUND

The imbalance between osteoblast (OB) -led bone formation and osteoclast (OC) -induced bone resorption is a recognized reason of osteoporosis. However, further gene-related pathogenesis remains to be elucidated.

METHODS

The microarray profile GSE225974 was used to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between OC and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Bone-marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) treated with 30 ng/ml macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) and 100 ng/ml receptor activator of NF-kappa B ligand (RANKL) was to induce osteoclastic differentiation in vitro. The expression of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blotting methods. Meanwhile, the regulatory role of LPL on osteoclastic differentiation was evaluated by monitoring cathepsin K levels and TRAP staining. Proteins related to LPL were obtained by STRING, and the interaction between proteins was verified by immunoprecipitation (IP) and ubiquitination analysis.

RESULTS

LPL was markedly up-expressed in OCs. Inhibition of LPL suppressed osteoclast differentiation of BMMs by inhibiting cathepsin K and number of TRAP-positive cells. Then the results of STRING demonstrated that proteins related to LPL including the lipid synthesis gene ACSL4. Erastin treatment prominently weakened the effects of si-LPL on cathepsin K levels and TRAP staining intensity by activating ferroptosis. Mechanically, inhibition of LPL suppressed osteoclast differentiation by promoting ubiquitination levels of ACSL4, and over-expression of USP14 reversed the effects of LPL knockdown on regulating ubiquitination of ACSL4.

CONCLUSION

Suppression of LPL inhibits the osteoclast differentiation of BMMs in vitro. The mechanism may be related to the LPL knockdown induced USP14 meidated the ACSL4 ubiquitination. Taken together, down-regulation of LPL may be a promising method to suppress osteoclast differentiation to treat osteoporosis.

Association between O-GlcNAc transferase activity and major adverse cardiovascular events: findings from the China PEACE-MPP cohort

BACKGROUND

The O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) levels are closely related to the O-GlcNAcylation of proteins and are also associated with cardiovascular disease. This study explored the association between OGT activity and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in patients with high cardiovascular disease risk. This post hoc study included patients from the China PEACE-MPP study in Yi Wu, Zhejiang Province, between 2014 and 2015.

METHODS

The patients were divided into the low and high OGT activity groups according to the median serum OGT value. The outcome was the occurrence of MACEs (cardiovascular death, non-fatal acute myocardial infarction, and non-fatal ischemic stroke).

RESULTS

Finally, 1947 participants (973 and 974 with low and high OGT activity, respectively) were included. The mean follow-up was 5.56 ± 1.01 years. The participants in the low OGT activity group had a significantly higher occurrence rate of MACEs compared with the high OGT activity group (100 [10.4%] vs. 74 [7.6%], P = 0.032). The Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the event-free survival rate in the low OGT activity group was significantly lower than in the high OGT activity group (P = 0.036). Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analysis showed that after adjustment for age, drinking, hyperglycemia, history of hypertension, and history of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, a high OGT activity was independently associated with a lower risk of MACEs (HR = 0.738, 95%CI: 0.547-0.997, P = 0.048).

CONCLUSIONS

A low OGT activity was independently associated with an increased risk of MACE among patients with a high risk of cardiovascular disease.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Not applicable.

O-GlcNAcylation: Sagacious Orchestrator of Bone-, Joint-, and Spine-Related Diseases

O-linked beta-N-acetylglucosamine glycosylation (O-GlcNAcylation), a post-translational modification of proteins, occurs in multiple physiological and pathological processes. Despite comprehensive study of protein modifications, such as phosphorylation, acetylation, and ubiquitination in musculoskeletal diseases, the role of O-GlcNAcylation in this field has been largely overlooked. However, in recent years, several studies have initially elucidated the biological mechanisms through which O-GlcNAcylation regulates the development and progress of musculoskeletal diseases, including osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, osteosarcoma, and intervertebral disc degeneration. This review aims to systematically and comprehensively summarize the existing evidence, sketching the contours of the underlying mechanisms and related signaling pathways, discussing the limitations and controversies, and providing guidance for future studies on the role of O-GlcNAcylation modifications in musculoskeletal diseases.

GRAMMAR-Lambda Delivers Efficient Understanding of the Genetic Basis for Head Size in Catfish

The shape of the skull plays a crucial role in the evolution and adaptation of species to their environments. In the case of aquaculture fish, the size of the head is also an important economic trait, as it is linked to fillet yield and ornamental value. This study applies our GRAMMAR-Lambda method to perform a genome-wide association study analysis on loci related to head size in catfish. Compared with traditional GWAS methods, the GRAMMAR-Lambda method offers higher computational efficiency, statistical power, and stability, especially in complex population structures. This research identifies many candidate genes closely related to cranial morphology in terms of head length, width, and depth in catfish, including bmpr1bb, fgfrl1b, nipbl, foxp2, and pax5, etc. Based on the results of gene-gene interaction analysis, we speculate that there may be frequent genetic interactions between chromosome 19 and chromosome 29 in bone development. Additionally, many candidate genes, gene families, and mechanisms (such as SOCE mechanisms) affecting skeletal development and morphology have been identified. These findings contribute to our understanding of the genetic architecture of head size and will support marker-assisted breeding in aquaculture, also reflecting the potential application of the GRAMMAR-Lambda method in genetic studies of complex traits.

OGT mediated HDAC5 O-GlcNAcylation promotes osteogenesis by regulating the homeostasis of epigenetic modifications and proteolysis

Background

O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) is responsible for attaching O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) to proteins, regulating diverse cellular processes ranging from transcription and translation to signaling and metabolism. This study focuses on the role and mechanisms of OGT in osteogenesis.

Materials and methods

We found that OGT is downregulated in osteoporosis by bioinformatics analysis, determined its role in osteogenic differentiation by using OGT inhibitors (or OGA inhibitors) as well as conditional knockout OGT mice in vitro and in vivo, and explored and specific mechanisms by quantitative proteomic analysis and RNA-seq, qRT-PCR, western blotting, immunofluorescence, H&E, ALP, ARS, Masson staining, IHC, micro CT, etc.

Results

we revealed that OGT positively influenced osteogenesis and osteoblast differentiation in vitro as well as ovariectomy (OVX) mice in vivo. Consistently, mice with conditionally depleted OGT exhibited a reduction in bone mass, while O-GlcNAcylation enhancer could partially recover bone mass in ovariectomy (OVX) mice. Mechanistically, quantitative proteomic analysis and high-throughput RNAseq further reveals that HDAC5 is one of the endogenous O-GlcNAcylation substrates, and O-GlcNAcylation of HDAC5 on Thr934 promotes its translocation to lysosomes and subsequent degradation, thus, elevating the O-GlcNAcylation level of HDAC5 leads to its cytoplasmic cleavage, consequently diminished its nuclear entry and enhanced DNA transcription. The OGT-mediated O-GlcNAcylation of HDAC5 modulates the balance between its cytoplasmic proteolysis and nuclear entry, thereby impacting the Notch signaling pathway and DNA epigenetic modifications then playing a role in osteogenesis.

Conclusion

OGT is a regulator that promotes osteoblast differentiation and bone regeneration. Additionally, it highlights the critical function of HDAC5 O-GlcNAcylation in controlling epigenetics. This study offers fresh perspectives on osteogenesis and O-GlcNAcylation, proposing that the OGT-mediated O-GlcNAcylation of HDAC5 could be a promising target for osteoporosis treatment.

The translational potential of this article

On one side, OGT might potentially be used as a new biomarker for clinical diagnosis of osteoporosis (OP) in the future. On the other side, small molecule inhibitors of HDAC5, a glycosylation substrate of OGT, or OGT agonists such as silymarin, could all potentially serve as therapeutic targets for the prevention or treatment of OP in the future.

Hyperglycosylation as an Indicator of Aging in the Bone Metabolome of Oryzias latipes

Chronological aging of bone tissues is a multi-faceted process that involves a complex interplay of cellular, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms. Metabolites play a crucial role for bone homeostasis, and a changed metabolome is indicative for bone aging, although bone metabolomics are currently understudied. The vertebral bone metabolome of the model fish Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) was employed to identify sex-specific markers of bone aging. 265 and 213 metabolites were differently expressed in 8-month-old vs. 3-month-old female and male fish, respectively. The untargeted metabolomics pathway enrichment analysis indicated a sex-independent increased hyperglycosylation in 8-month-old individuals. The upregulated glycosylation pathways included glycosphingolipids, glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchors, O-glycans, and N-glycans. UDP-sugars and sialic acid were found to be major drivers in regulating glycosylation pathways and metabolic flux. The data indicate a disruption of protein processing at the endoplasmic reticulum and changes in O-glycan biosynthesis. Dysregulation of glycosylation, particularly through the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway, may contribute to bone aging and age-related bone loss. The results warrant further investigation into the functional involvement of increased glycosylation in bone aging. The potential of glycan-based biomarkers as early warning systems for bone aging should be explored and would aid in an advanced understanding of the progression of bone diseases such as osteoporosis.

Role of O-linked N-acetylglucosamine protein modification in oxidative stress-induced autophagy: a novel target for bone remodeling

O-linked N-acetylglucosamine protein modification (O-GlcNAcylation) is a dynamic post-translational modification (PTM) involving the covalent binding of serine and/or threonine residues, which regulates bone cell homeostasis. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are increased due to oxidative stress in various pathological contexts related to bone remodeling, such as osteoporosis, arthritis, and bone fracture. Autophagy serves as a scavenger for ROS within bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells, osteoclasts, and osteoblasts. However, oxidative stress-induced autophagy is affected by the metabolic status, leading to unfavorable clinical outcomes. O-GlcNAcylation can regulate the autophagy process both directly and indirectly through oxidative stress-related signaling pathways, ultimately improving bone remodeling. The present interventions for the bone remodeling process often focus on promoting osteogenesis or inhibiting osteoclast absorption, ignoring the effect of PTM on the overall process of bone remodeling. This review explores how O-GlcNAcylation synergizes with autophagy to exert multiple regulatory effects on bone remodeling under oxidative stress stimulation, indicating the application of O-GlcNAcylation as a new molecular target in the field of bone remodeling.

Contribution of Osteoblast and Osteoclast Supernatants to Bone Formation: Determination Using a Novel Microfluidic Chip

We fabricated a microfluidic chip (osteoblast [OB]-osteoclast [OC] chip) that could regulate the mixture amounts of OB and OC supernatants to investigate the effect of different supernatant distributions on osteogenesis or osteoclastogenesis. Computer-aided design was used to produce an OB-OC chip from polydimethylsiloxane. A pressure controller was assembled and different blends of OB and OC supernatants were correctly determined. OB and OC supernatants were placed on the upper panels of the OB-OC chip after differentiation for an in vitro evaluation. We then tested the changes in osteogenesis using MC3T3-E1 cells in the middle chambers. We observed that a 75:25 distribution of OB and OC supernatants was the most potent in osteogenesis. We then primed the osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells using an OB-OC mixed supernatant or an OB supernatant alone (supernatant ratios of 75:25 or 100:0, respectively). These cells were placed on the calvarial defect sites of rats. Microcomputed tomography and histological analyses determined a significantly higher bone formation in the group exposed to the OB-OC supernatant at a ratio of 75:25. In this study, we demonstrate the applicability of an OB-OC chip to evaluate the effect of different supernatant distributions of OB and OC. We observed that the highest bone-forming potential was in MC3T3-E1 cells treated with conditioned media, specifically the OB-OC supernatant at a ratio of 75:25.

Heme oxygenase 1 linked to inactivation of subchondral osteoclasts in osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic progressive osteoarthropathy in the elderly. Osteoclast activation plays a crucial role in the occurrence of subchondral bone loss in early OA. However, the specific mechanism of osteoclast differentiation in OA remains unclear. In our study, gene expression profiles related to OA disease progression and osteoclast activation were screened from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) repository. GEO2R and Funrich analysis tools were employed to find differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses demonstrated that chemical carcinogenesis, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and response to oxidative stress were mainly involved in osteoclast differentiation in OA subchondral bone. Furthermore, fourteen DEGs that are associated with oxidative stress were identified. The first ranked differential gene, heme oxygenase 1 (HMOX1), was selected for further validation. Related results showed that osteoclast activation in the pathogenesis of OA subchondral bone is accompanied by the downregulation of HMOX1. Carnosol was revealed to inhibit osteoclastogenesis by targeting HMOX1 and upregulating the expression of antioxidant protein in vitro. Meanwhile, carnosol was found to alleviate the severity of OA by inhibiting the activation of subchondral osteoclasts in vivo. Our research indicated that the activation of osteoclasts due to subchondral bone redox dysplasia may serve as a significant pathway for the advancement of OA. Targeting HMOX1 in subchondral osteoclasts may offer novel insights for the treatment of early OA.

The role of O-GlcNAcylation in bone metabolic diseases

O-GlcNAcylation, as a post-translational modification, can modulate cellular activities such as kinase activity, transcription-translation, protein degradation, and insulin signaling by affecting the function of the protein substrate, including cellular localization of proteins, protein stability, and protein/protein interactions. Accumulating evidence suggests that dysregulation of O-GlcNAcylation is associated with disease progression such as cancer, neurodegeneration, and diabetes. Recent studies suggest that O-GlcNAcylation is also involved in the regulation of osteoblast, osteoclast and chondrocyte differentiation, which is closely related to the initiation and development of bone metabolic diseases such as osteoporosis, arthritis and osteosarcoma. However, the potential mechanisms by which O-GlcNAcylation regulates bone metabolism are not fully understood. In this paper, the literature related to the regulation of bone metabolism by O-GlcNAcylation was summarized to provide new potential therapeutic strategies for the treatment of orthopedic diseases such as arthritis and osteoporosis.

O-GlcNAcylation: roles and potential therapeutic target for bone pathophysiology

O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) protein modification (O-GlcNAcylation) is a critical post-translational modification (PTM) of cytoplasmic and nuclear proteins. O-GlcNAcylation levels are regulated by the activity of two enzymes, O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and O‑GlcNAcase (OGA). While OGT attaches O-GlcNAc to proteins, OGA removes O-GlcNAc from proteins. Since its discovery, researchers have demonstrated O-GlcNAcylation on thousands of proteins implicated in numerous different biological processes. Moreover, dysregulation of O-GlcNAcylation has been associated with several pathologies, including cancers, ischemia-reperfusion injury, and neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we focus on progress in our understanding of the role of O-GlcNAcylation in bone pathophysiology, and we discuss the potential molecular mechanisms of O-GlcNAcylation modulation of bone-related diseases. In addition, we explore significant advances in the identification of O-GlcNAcylation-related regulators as potential therapeutic targets, providing novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of bone-related disorders.

The histone methyltransferase ASH1L protects against bone loss by inhibiting osteoclastogenesis

Absent, small, or homeotic1-like (ASH1L) is a histone lysine methyltransferase that generally functions as a transcriptional activator in controlling cell fate. So far, its physiological relevance in bone homeostasis and osteoclast differentiation remains elusive. Here, by conditional deleting Ash1l in osteoclast progenitors of mice, we found ASH1L deficiency resulted in osteoporosis and potentiation of osteoclastogenesis in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, ASH1L binds the promoter of the Src homology 3 and cysteine-rich domain 2 (Stac2) and increases the gene's transcription via histone 3 lysine 4 (H3K4) trimethylation modification, thus augmenting the STAC2's protection against receptor activator of nuclear factor kB ligand (RANKL)-initiated inflammation during osteoclast formation. Collectively, we demonstrate the first piece of evidence to prove ASH1L as a critical checkpoint during osteoclastogenesis. The work sheds new light on our understanding about the biological function of ASH1L in bone homeostasis, therefore providing a valuable therapeutic target for the treatment of osteoporosis or inflammatory bone diseases.

Regulation of Glycosylation in Bone Metabolism

Glycosylation plays a crucial role in the maintenance of homeostasis in the body and at the onset of diseases such as inflammation, neurodegeneration, infection, diabetes, and cancer. It is also involved in bone metabolism. N- and O-glycans have been shown to regulate osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation. We recently demonstrated that ganglio-series and globo-series glycosphingolipids were essential for regulating the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts and osteoclasts in glycosyltransferase-knockout mice. Herein, we reviewed the importance of the regulation of bone metabolism by glycoconjugates, such as glycolipids and glycoproteins, including our recent results.

Epigenetic landscape analysis reveals the significance of early reduced chromatin accessibility in osteoclastogenesis

Recently improved techniques could provide snapshots of chromatin structure generated based on chromatin accessibility. Since chromatin accessibility determines transcriptional potential, it has been attempted in a variety of cell systems. However, there has been no genome-wide analysis of chromatin accessibility for the entire murine osteoclast (OC) differentiation process. We performed an Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin (ATAC)-sequencing (seq) during RANKL-induced OC differentiation and found that global chromatin accessibility decreased, especially early in OC differentiation. The global histone H3K27Ac level, an active histone modification mark, was diminished during OC differentiation by western blot and histone extract experiments. Its genomic enrichment was also reduced based on publicly available H3K27Ac chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-seq data. ATAC-seq and H3K27Ac ChIP-seq data demonstrated that RANKL induced a less accessible chromatin state during OC differentiation. Restoration of reduced H3K27Ac, presumably representing accessible states upon acetate treatment, suppresses OC differentiation by provoking immune-related gene expression. Subsequential integrative analysis of ATAC-seq, RNA-seq after acetate treatment, and H3K27Ac ChIP-seq reveals that Irf8 and its downstream targets are the most vulnerable to chromatin accessibility changes and acetate supplementation. Taken together, our study generated chromatin accessibility maps during the whole OC differentiation and suggested perturbation of chromatin accessibility might be a potential therapeutic strategy for excessive OC diseases.

Glycobiology in osteoclast differentiation and function

Glycans, either alone or in complex with glycan-binding proteins, are essential structures that can regulate cell biology by mediating protein stability or receptor dimerization under physiological and pathological conditions. Certain glycans are ligands for lectins, which are carbohydrate-specific receptors. Bone is a complex tissue that provides mechanical support for muscles and joints, and the regulation of bone mass in mammals is governed by complex interplay between bone-forming cells, called osteoblasts, and bone-resorbing cells, called osteoclasts. Bone erosion occurs when bone resorption notably exceeds bone formation. Osteoclasts may be activated during cancer, leading to a range of symptoms, including bone pain, fracture, and spinal cord compression. Our understanding of the role of protein glycosylation in cells and tissues involved in osteoclastogenesis suggests that glycosylation-based treatments can be used in the management of diseases. The aims of this review are to clarify the process of bone resorption and investigate the signaling pathways mediated by glycosylation and their roles in osteoclast biology. Moreover, we aim to outline how the lessons learned about these approaches are paving the way for future glycobiology-focused therapeutics.

CircFam190a: a critical positive regulator of osteoclast differentiation via enhancement of the AKT1/HSP90β complex

The identification of key regulatory factors that control osteoclastogenesis is important. Accumulating evidence indicates that circular RNAs (circRNAs) are discrete functional entities. However, the complexities of circRNA expression as well as the extent of their regulatory functions during osteoclastogenesis have yet to be revealed. Here, based on circular RNA sequencing data, we identified a circular RNA, circFam190a, as a critical regulator of osteoclast differentiation and function. During osteoclastogenesis, circFam190a is significantly upregulated. In vitro, circFam190a enhanced osteoclast formation and function. In vivo, overexpression of circFam190a induced significant bone loss, while knockdown of circFam190a prevented pathological bone loss in an ovariectomized (OVX) mouse osteoporosis model. Mechanistically, our data suggest that circFam90a enhances the binding of AKT1 and HSP90β, promoting AKT1 stability. Altogether, our findings highlight the critical role of circFam190a as a positive regulator of osteoclastogenesis, and targeting circFam190a might be a promising therapeutic strategy for treating pathological bone loss.

HBP/O-GlcNAcylation Metabolic Axis Regulates Bone Resorption Outcome

Osteoclasts play a key role in the regulation of bone mass and are highly active metabolically. Here we show that a metabolic reprogramming toward the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP) is required not only for osteoclast differentiation but also to determine the bone resorption mode during physiological and pathological bone remodeling. We found that pharmacological inhibition of O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) significantly reduced protein O-GlcNAcylation and osteoclast differentiation. Accordingly, genetic deletion of OGT also inhibited osteoclast formation and downregulated critical markers related to osteoclasts differentiation and function (NFATc1, α_vintegrin, cathepsin K). Indeed, cells treated with OSMI-1, an OGT inhibitor, also reduced nuclear translocation of NFATc1. Furthermore, the addition of exogenous N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) strongly increased osteoclast formation and demineralization ability. Strikingly, our data show for the first time that O-GlcNAcylation facilitates an aggressive trench resorption mode in human cells. The incubation of osteoclasts with exogenous GlcNAc increases the percentage of erosion by trench while having no effect on pit resorption mode. Through time-lapse recording, we documented that osteoclasts making trenches moving across the bone surface are sensitive to GlcNAcylation. Finally, osteoclast-specific Ogt-deficient mice show increased bone density and reduced inflammation-induced bone loss during apical periodontitis model. We show that osteoclast-specific Ogt-deficient mice are less susceptible to develop bacterial-induced periapical lesion. Consistent with this, Ogt-deleted mice showed a decreased number of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive cells lining the apical periodontitis site. In summary, here we describe a hitherto undiscovered role of the HBP/O-GlcNAcylation axis tuning resorption mode and dictating bone resorption outcome.

Regulation of differentiation and generation of osteoclasts in rheumatoid arthritis

INTRODUCTION

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which affects nearly 1% of the world's population, is a debilitating autoimmune disease. Bone erosion caused by periarticular osteopenia and synovial pannus formation is the most destructive pathological changes of RA, also leads to joint deformity and loss of function,and ultimately affects the quality of life of patients. Osteoclasts (OCs) are the only known bone resorption cells and their abnormal differentiation and production play an important role in the occurrence and development of RA bone destruction; this remains the main culprit behind RA.

METHOD

Based on the latest published literature and research progress at home and abroad, this paper reviews the abnormal regulation mechanism of OC generation and differentiation in RA and the possible targeted therapy.

RESULT

OC-mediated bone destruction is achieved through the regulation of a variety of cytokines and cell-to-cell interactions, including gene transcription, epigenetics and environmental factors. At present, most methods for the treatment of RA are based on the regulation of inflammation, the inhibition of bone injury and joint deformities remains unexplored.

DISCUSSION

This article will review the mechanism of abnormal differentiation of OC in RA, and summarise the current treatment oftargeting cytokines in the process of OC generation and differentiation to reduce bone destruction in patients with RA, which isexpected to become a valuable treatment choice to inhibit bone destruction in RA.

Reduction in O-GlcNAcylation Mitigates the Severity of Inflammatory Response in Cerulein-Induced Acute Pancreatitis in a Mouse Model

Acute pancreatitis (AP) involves premature trypsinogen activation, which mediates a cascade of pro-inflammatory signaling that causes early stages of pancreatic injury. Activation of the transcription factor κB (NF-κB) and secretion of pro-inflammatory mediators are major events in AP. O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT), a stress-sensitive enzyme, was recently implicated to regulate NF-κB activation and inflammation in AP in vitro. This study aims to determine whether a pancreas-specific transgenic reduction in OGT in a mouse model affects the severity of AP in vivo. Mice with reduced pancreatic OGT (OGT^Panc+/-) at 8 weeks of age were randomized to cerulein, which induces pancreatitis, or saline injections. AP was confirmed by elevated amylase levels and on histological analysis. The histological scoring demonstrated that OGT^Panc+/- mice had decreased severity of AP. Additionally, serum lipase, LDH, and TNF-α in OGT^Panc+/- did not significantly increase in response to cerulein treatment as compared to controls, suggesting attenuated AP induction in this model. Our study reveals the effect of reducing pancreatic OGT levels on the severity of pancreatitis, warranting further investigation on the role of OGT in the pathology of AP.