Exit of nonglycosylated secretory proteins from the rough endoplasmic reticulum is asynchronous in the exocrine pancreas.

The path and synchrony of intracellular transport of 12 secretory proteins of the guinea pig exocrine pancreas have been studied in pulse-chase amino acid labeling experiments by quantitative analysis of the individual proteins recovered in subcellular fractions and extracellular samples. Protein fractionation was accomplished by two-dimensional isoelectric focusing/SDS-gel electrophoresis. Use of a double-label protocol allowed correction of the data on a protein-by-protein basis for leakage and adsorption artifacts which accompany tissue homogenization. All the labeled secretory (pro)enzymes, including their isoenzymic forms, were recovered in rough microsomal, Golgi-enriched and granule fractions during their transport to the cell surface. However, major asynchrony was observed at four levels: exit from the rough endoplasmic reticulum; transit through the Golgi complex; entry into granules; and discharge from the cell. Rapid transport rates were observed for trypsinogen, chymotrypsinogen 2, procarboxypeptidase A2, and lipase 2. Slow transport rates were observed for amylase and procarboxypeptidase B. In the presence of carbamylcholine or cholecystokinin stimulation, the times required for 40% discharge of labeled chymotrypsinogen 2, trypsinogen, amylase, and procarboxypeptidase B were 98, 102, 148, and 180 min, respectively. Transport rates did not correlate with isoelectric point, molecular weight, or the presence of carbohydrate. These data suggest that interactions occur within the rough endoplasmic reticulum, either between secretory (nonglyco)-proteins themselves or between such proteins and the cisternal face of the rough endoplasmic reticulum.