Chronic pancreatitis was induced using established protocols (31 (link)). Caerulein (MedChemExpress) was reconstituted in sterile phosphate-buffered saline. Adult mice (6 to 10 weeks old) were injected with Caerulein (individual dose, 50 μg/kg), given as four hourly intraperitoneal injections, three times per week for three consecutive weeks.