Gastric acid secretion, intraduodenal pH and gastroenteropancreatic hormone release to bombesin in antrocolic transposition dogs

The effects of bombesin on gastric acid secretion from the Heidenhain pouch (HP), intraduodenal pH and gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) hormone levels were compared between 4 dogs with antrocolic transposition (ACT) and 4 non-ACT dogs. Bombesin, infused i.v. at a dose of 0.5 microgram/kg for one hr, produced a significant increase in gastric acid secretion from HP and a decrease in intraduodenal pH in both groups. However, these changes were more marked in ACT dogs. The intravenous infusion of bombesin also produced, in both groups, an increase in the plasma levels of gastrin, secretin, motilin, insulin, glucagon and pancreatic polypeptide (PP) with a different shape of curve for each hormone. Comparison between the two groups showed significantly greater plasma gastrin, secretin and insulin responses, and smaller plasma PP response in ACT dogs than in non-ACT dogs. These results demonstrate that the mechanism of GEP hormone release by bombesin may be complex and hormone responses to infusion of bombesin are influenced in a state of acid hypersecretion induced by ACT.     

Effect of histamine H2-receptor stimulation on postprandial pancreatic and gastric endocrine function in dogs

The effect of histamine H2-receptor stimulation via the infusion of impromidine was assessed with regard to postprandial plasma insulin, pancreatic polypeptide (PP), somatostatin, and gastrin levels. The effect of impromidine was assessed in the postprandial state during a liver extract/sucrose test meal which had a buffer capacity to maintain the intragastric pH at a constant level for the time impromidine was infused. Postprandial plasma insulin and gastrin levels were not changed by impromidine (10 micrograms/kg X h-1). Plasma somatostatin levels rose significantly, whereas the postprandial increase of plasma PP levels was attenuated. The effects on somatostatin and PP were antagonized by the infusion of cimetidine, a specific histamine H2-receptor blocker. In conclusion the present data demonstrate that in the postprandial state activation of H2-receptors stimulates somatostatin and inhibits PP release while insulin and gastrin release are not affected.     

Effects of intragastric ethanol administration on gastric acid secretion and gastrointestinal hormone release in dogs

Dogs with a vagally denervated (Heidenhain) pouch and a gastric fistula were used to investigate the humoral mechanism which would affect the gastric acid secretion following acute intragastric ethanol administration. Ethanol solutions induced a dose-related secretion of gastric acid. Although plasma gastrin levels increased after the loading of both 20% and 30% ethanol solutions, there was a discrepancy between total acid output and the integrated gastrin response. Plasma secretin levels also augmented after the administration of ethanol solutions, with a delay of about one hour after the onset of acid secretion. The response of gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) to ethanol was very slight, similar to that of insulin. There was a significant rise in plasma glucose levels after the instillation of 30% ethanol solution as in the case of liquid meal. It is concluded that gastrin may be merely one of the factors which stimulate acid secretion after ethanol administration, and that gastric acid would have a close relationship with secretin release. It is also probable that acid is not an effective stimulant to the release of GIP.     

Experimental studies on the influence of simultaneous ligation of the bile and pancreatic ducts upon gastric acid secretion and gut hormones

The influence of simultaneous ligation of the bile and pancreatic ducts on gastric acid secretion and gut hormones, particularly gastrin and secretin, was studied in 5 dogs with a Heidenhain pouch. In addition, the pH of the duodenal content was measured in 2 dogs with a duodenal fistula. Tests in response to a test meal were done during the control and observation periods. In all of the 5 dogs the mean 24 hr-acid output from the Heindenhain pouches showed a significant increase from 199 to 564%. Plasma gastrin levels during the fasting showed no significant change, but the peak response to the test meal significantly decreased from 83.6 +/- 4.4 pg/ml (mean +/- S.E.) before the ligation to 42.1 +/- 4.2 pg/ml after the ligation. Plasma secretin levels were significantly elevated after the ligation both during fasting and after the test meal. The pH of the duodenal contents after the test meal was lower after the ligation than before. These results suggest that gastric hypersecretion induced by the simultaneous ligation of the common bile and pancreatic ducts is not related simply to release of gastrin, and further hypersercretinemia may depend on gastric hypersecretion.     

Meal-stimulated cholecystokinin release and exocrine pancreatic secretion in dogs

To confirm the role of cholecystokinin (CCK) and secretin in digestion, exocrine pancreatic secretion, plasma CCK, and secretin were measured simultaneously in six dogs prepared with gastric and pancreatic fistulas after feeding a solid meal. Plasma CCK concentration determined by radioimmunoassay increased significantly from the basal level, reached a peak 35 min after meal ingestion, and after a dip it further increased toward the end of the 3-h observation. Pancreatic protein output increased significantly, peaked at the fifth 10-min period, and then declined progressively. Plasma CCK concentration and pancreatic protein output correlated significantly during the first postprandial hour. Plasma secretion demonstrated significant elevation at 15 min and a peak at 25 min after a meal. Plasma secretin correlated significantly with both bicarbonate output and flow rate during the 3 h. Simultaneous measurements of plasma CCK and secretin and of pancreatic secretion suggested that postprandial pancreatic secretion is primarily mediated by releases of CCK and secretin, but these hormones do not seem to be the only factors responsible for the secretion.     

Diagnostic value of secretin provocation test.

Plasma gastrin response to the intravenously administered secretin was investigated in various clinical entities. The marked increase of plasma gastrin was found in response to secretin in a case of suspected Zollinger-Ellison syndrome in contrast to various degrees of plasma gastrin decrease seen in patients with ordinary or postoperative recurrent peptic ulcer. The diagnostic value of secretin provocation test was stressed especially in relation to differentiation between Zollinger-Ellison syndrome and recurrent ulcer due to retained pyloric antrum kept away from the food-passing route, both of which are characterized by hypergastrinemia and acid hypersecretion.     

Plasma secretin concentrations in fasting and postprandial state in man.

Plasma immunoreactive secretin concentrations were determined in both healthy subjects and patients with duodenal ulcer. The modified radioimmunoassay method could detect significant increases in the plasma secretin concentrations when 0.05 N HCl was infused intraduodenally at a rate of 1.1 and 2.2 ml/min. The mean fasting plasma secretin concentration of 13 normal healthy subjects was 4.4 +/- 0.38 pg/ml which was significantly less (P less than 0.01) than that of 13 duodenal ulcer patients, 6.9 +/- 0.64 pg/ml. In both groups ingestion of a meat-containing meal resulted in significant increase in the plasma secretin concentrations. Recording of pH from proximal duodenum indicated that pH fell periodically below 4.5 during the postprandial period, indicating that only a short segment of proximal duodenum was exposed to acid after meal. The postprandial rise in plasma secretin levels was abolished when antral pH was raised 5.5 by intragastric infusion of 0.3 N NaHCO3 solution. These observations indicate that although fasting plasma secretin levels are low, the plasma secretin levels increase significantly after ingestion of a meal. This increase appears to be attributable to an increased amount of acid delivered to the proximal duodenum, and patients with duodenal ulcer were found to release more secretin during the postprandial period than normal subjects.     

Cholecystokinin receptor antagonist loxiglumide modulates plasma levels of gastro-entero-pancreatic hormones in man Feedback control of cholecystokinin and gastrin secretion

The effect of the potent specific cholecystokinin (CCK) receptor antagonist loxiglumide on meal-stimulated plasma concentrations of CCK, gastrin, pancreatic polypeptide (PP), neurotensin, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), insulin and C peptide was investigated in a placebo-controlled study in 10 healthy male volunteers. Intravenous infusion of loxiglumide (10 mg kg-1 h-1) significantly augmented integrated incremental IR-CCK levels 7.3-fold after stimulation by a standard breakfast (504 +/- 54 vs 3.665 +/- 365 pmol-1 135 min-1, P less than 0.001), as measured by a specific CCK radioimmunoassay. Basal IR-CCK concentrations were not affected by administration of loxiglumide. Oral treatment with bile acids (2 g ursodeoxycholic acid plus 2 g chenodeoxycholic acid) together with the meal abolished this augmentation, whereas high-dose substitution with pancreatic enzymes (4.2 g pancreatin) reduced elevated IR-CCK levels by only 38%. CCK-like bioactivity, determined by a bioassay using rat pancreatic acini, was not detectable in all samples that contained loxiglumide at plasma concentrations of 100-250 micrograms ml-1. Plasma gastrin concentrations in response to the breakfast were elevated 3.2-fold during loxiglumide infusion and not influenced by substitution with bile acids or pancreatic enzymes. Meal-stimulated integrated incremental plasma PP concentrations were significantly suppressed (55-65% inhibition, P less than 0.01) by loxiglumide. Infusion of the CCK receptor antagonist only slightly increased postprandial peak plasma glucose, insulin and C-peptide levels, whereas GIP and neurotensin levels were not significantly influenced. These findings suggest: (i) CCK secretion is under feedback control by intraduodenal bile acids and to a lesser extent by pancreatic enzymes; (ii) simultaneous extraction of CCK and loxiglumide results in circulating plasma CCK-like bioactivity of zero; (iii) gastrin secretion is feedback controlled via an indirect mechanism probably involving CCK-induced somatostatin secretion; (iv) release of PP is under inhibitory control of CCK; (v) CCK does not play a major role as insulinotropic hormone in the entero-insular axis in humans.     

Role of endogenous secretin in acid-induced inhibition of human gastric function

The role of secretin in the inhibition of gastric acid secretion that occurs during acidification of the gastric lumen was studied in nine healthy men. Gastric acid secretion was stimulated by 500-ml meals of 8% peptone solution, and the pH of the stomach was maintained at 5.5, 2.5, or 2.0 by intragastric titration. The increase in plasma secretin was measured, after extraction, by a new secretin radioimmunoassay. After determining the intravenous dose of secretin required to reproduce plasma secretin concentrations achieved during pH 2.5 and 2.0 meals, similar doses were given during administration of a pH 5.5 peptone meal. The doses of secretin led to plasma secretin concentrations that averaged 3.4 pM, not different from the 3.2 and 3.9 pM concentrations achieved during acidified meals. However, exogenous secretin infusion failed to inhibit acid secretion or gastrin response to peptone, although significant inhibitions occurred in both during peptone meals given at pH 2.5 or 2.0. When secretin infusions were given at fivefold higher rates, plasma gastrin responses again failed to demonstrate significant inhibition. Gastric emptying was inhibited significantly by both acidified peptone meals but only slightly (P = 0.053) during exogenous infusion of physiologic secretin doses. The decrease in acid secretion could be explained by decreased gastrin release, but neither of these findings could be explained by circulating secretin concentrations. These results cast strong doubt on a physiological role of secretin in inhibition of acid secretion in man.     

Acute effects of ranitidine, famotidine and omeprazole on plasma gastrin in the rat

In the rat, treatment with gastric inhibitory drugs may result in hypergastrinemia, an effect thought to be in response to increased gastric pH caused by inhibition of acid secretion. This study compared 24-hr profiles of plasma gastrin levels associated with three different compounds at equivalent, highly effective antisecretory doses. Ranitidine, famotidine and omeprazole at 60, 20 and 40 mg/kg p.o., respectively, inhibited basal acid secretion of chronic gastric fistula rats by greater than 95% and raised intraluminal pH to above 7.0 for 5 hr. The peak plasma gastrin levels associated with each agent were observed 5 hr after dosing. Ranitidine, famotidine and omeprazole induced statistically significant and distinct peak hypergastrinemic responses of 312 +/- 20, 483 +/- 28 and 616 +/- 27 pg/ml, respectively. After 8 hr ranitidine and famotidine associated gastrin values returned to control levels, whereas those of omeprazole remained substantially above control values until the 12th hr. Differences in peak gastrin levels between compounds disappeared at increased dose levels of 500 mg/kg for ranitidine, 200 or 2000 mg/kg for famotidine and 140 mg/kg for omeprazole. Unlike high dose famotidine, omeprazole (140 mg/kg) maintained peak plasma gastrin levels at 8, 12, and 16 hr after dosing. These studies demonstrate clearly hypergastrinemic responses to single dose administration of ranitidine, famotidine and omeprazole. The differences observed in peak plasma gastrin levels at equivalent antisecretory doses of these agents suggests the presence of luminal acid independent components that effect gastrin release. Moreover, these studies indicate that, in the rat, the most unique aspect of omeprazole-associated hypergastrinemia is the magnitude of its prolonged response.     

Pancreatic enzyme response to a liquid meal and to hormonal stimulation. Correlation with plasma secretin and cholecystokinin levels.

Pancreatic trypsin output and plasma secretin and cholecystokinin (CCK) levels were measured in five healthy volunteers to investigate the mechanisms involved in regulating postprandial pancreatic secretion. The pancreas was stimulated by a liquid test meal or by either intravenous secretin (1-82 pmol/kg-1 per h-1) or caerulein, a CCK analogue (2.3-37 pmol/kg-1 per h-1), or by a combination of secretin and caerulein. Pancreatic secretion was assessed by a marker perfusion technique (polyethylene glycol [PEG 4000]), plasma secretin, and CCK by specific radioimmunoassays. Increasing doses of secretin produced increasing bicarbonate output (P less than 0.01), whereas trypsin was not stimulated over basal. Graded caerulein produced a stepwise increase in trypsin and bicarbonate output (P less than 0.01). Potentiation occurred for bicarbonate secretion between secretin and caerulein, but not for trypsin output. Postprandial trypsin secretion averaged 29.1 IU/min-1 over 150 min (equal to 55% of maximal response to caerulein). The peak trypsin response amounted to 90% of maximal caerulein. Significant increases of plasma secretion (P less than 0.05) and CCK (P less than 0.01) were observed after the meal. Comparison of enzyme and CCK responses to the testmeal or to exogenous caerulein suggested that the amount of CCK released after the meal could account for the postprandial trypsin secretion. We conclude that (a) the postprandial enzyme response in man is submaximal in comparison to maximal exogenous hormone stimulation; (b) CCK is a major stimulatory mechanism of postprandial trypsin secretion, whereas secretin is not involved; and (c) Potentiation of enzyme secretion is not a regulatory mechanism of the postprandial secretory response.     

Proximal and distal gut hormone secretion in slow transit constipation

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that slow transit constipation might be part of a panenteric disorder. Gastrointestinal peptides are involved in regulation of motility. DESIGN: In the present study we have evaluated whether plasma levels of proximal and distal gut hormones in the fasting state, and for 120 min after a solid meal in 29 patients with slow transit constipation are different from those obtained from 29 healthy controls. Plasma levels of the gut hormones cholecystokinin, gastrin, pancreatic polypeptide, motilin, neurotensin and peptide YY were determined using sensitive radioimmunoassays. In the patient group, oro-caecal transit time was determined by means of the hydrogen breath test on a separate test day. The results of transit were related with postprandial hormone secretion. RESULTS: Fasting plasma levels of cholecystokinin and pancreatic polypeptide were significantly (P < 0.05) increased in constipated patients. Postprandially, secretion of pancreatic polypeptide and cholecystokinin was significantly (P < 0.05) increased in the patients, while secretion of peptide YY was significantly (P < 0.05) reduced. Plasma motilin levels were not different between patients and controls. Altered postprandial hormone secretion was mainly observed in constipated patients with prolonged oro-caecal transit time. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with slow transit constipation, fasting and postprandial secretion of proximal gut hormones apart from motilin is increased and of distal gut hormones decreased, especially in those with severely delayed intestinal transit.     

Plasma gastrin and pancreatic polypeptide response to atropine and sham feeding in man

We studied the effects of atropine, both in the basal state and after stimulation by modified sham feeding (MSF), and the effect of MSF alone, on the plasma gastrin and pancreatic polypeptide (PP) responses in 8 healthy human subjects. Atropine 1 mg in the basal state had no effect on the plasma gastrin concentrations but led to significant decrease in plasma PP concentrations. Plasma gastrin response to MSF was negligible but increased by atropine. The plasma PP level was markedly increased by MSF, and was antagonized by atropine. This study shows that the release of plasma PP during basal state and after MSF is under the control of the vagal-cholinergic mechanism, but plasma gastrin is controlled by a different mechanism.     

Plasma secretin before and after gastroplasty for morbid obesity

Fasting and postprandial plasma secretin levels were measured in 11 patients before and 3 months after gastroplasty for morbid obesity. Ingestion of a meal significantly increased plasma secretin both before and after gastroplasty (P less than 0.05). After gastroplasty there was an additional but insignificant increase in postprandial plasma secretin. Secretin has evidently no major role in the development of early satiety after gastroplasty and the lack of significantly changed secretin levels after operation indicates an unchanged intraduodenal pH.     

Role of circulating catecholamines in the control of pancreatic polypeptide and gastrin release

The influence of circulating catecholamines on the release of pancreatic polypeptide (PP) and gastrin was studied in volunteers. Physical exercise increased plasma epinephrine by 374 +/- 123% and plasma norepinephrine by 167 +/- 30%, but plasma PP concentrations remained unchanged during standardized bicycle ergometry. Immediately after cessation of exercise catecholamine levels decreased rapidly, whereas PP concentrations increased by 55%. In a second series, epinephrine infusion (5, 25, and 75 ng.kg-1.min-1) increased epinephrine levels by 38 +/- 12, 331 +/- 69, and 1229 +/- 131%, respectively, whilst norepinephrine was unaffected. Neither during nor after catecholamine infusion PP secretion was affected. Gastrin release increased by a maximum of 85 +/- 38% (at epinephrine 75 ng.kg-1.min-1). It is concluded, that (1) changes in circulating adrenaline do not significantly influence PP secretion in man; (2) the PP increase immediately following physical exercise cannot be attributed to a rapid fall of catecholamine levels; (3) endogenous catecholamines are of minor importance in the control of gastrin secretion.     

Comparative effects of pirenzepine and cimetidine, alone and in combination, on 24-hour gastric acidity in duodenal ulcer disease

Both pirenzepine and cimetidine have been shown to be beneficial in the healing of duodenal ulcers. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of 50 mg of pirenzepine BID and 600 mg of cimetidine BID, either alone or in combination, on 24-hour intragastric acidity, nocturnal gastric secretory volume and acid output, and serum gastrin profile in patients with duodenal ulcers. Eight asymptomatic patients with healed duodenal ulcers received placebo, pirenzepine, cimetidine, or cimetidine plus pirenzepine for one week each in a sequential order. All measurements were performed over a 24-hour period on the last day of each treatment week. Compared with pirenzepine, cimetidine was associated with lower hydrogen ion (H+) activities after breakfast, during the night, and over the 24-hour period. Pirenzepine alone failed to suppress H+, but the combination of cimetidine plus pirenzepine resulted in more prolonged acid suppression, with lower H+ after lunch, than did cimetidine alone. The effect of cimetidine on the suppression of nocturnal acid secretory volume and acid output was further enhanced by the addition of pirenzepine. The fasting serum gastrin concentrations were similar in all treatments, excluding one patient with antral G-cell hyperplasia; the postprandial gastrin responses were similarly higher with cimetidine and cimetidine plus pirenzepine than with pirenzepine. The findings suggest an added benefit of combination therapy with cimetidine and pirenzepine that may be useful in patients who fail to respond to single-agent therapy.     

Intravenous nizatidine kinetics and acid suppression

The effectiveness of intravenous nizatidine in suppressing gastric acid secretion was evaluated by different methods of inducing secretion in two single-blind studies. In study 1, seven subjects were given single, 20-min intravenous infusions of nizatidine (6.25, 25, 75, 150, or 250 mg) before modified sham feeding (MSF). Gastric acid suppression after nizatidine was contrasted with that after placebo and MSF. All doses of nizatidine reduced secretion; the 150- and 250-mg doses of nizatidine suppressed secretion for at least 2.5 hr. In study 2, eight subjects received one 5-min intravenous infusion of placebo, cimetidine (300 mg), or nizatidine (25, 50, 100, or 250 mg) weekly for 6 wk. Secretion was induced by infusing pentagastrin (2 micrograms/kg/hr) 45 min before the study drug was dosed and for 3.5 hr thereafter. Again, all doses of nizatidine reduced gastric acid, chiefly by decreasing volume. Nizatidine induced a clear dose-response effect; nizatidine (100 mg) and cimetidine (300 mg) had approximately equal suppressive effects. Nizatidine (100 mg) and cimetidine (300 mg) reduced acid output by 62% and 63% and reduced volume of secretion by 48% and 51% over the 3.5-hr period. Gastric acid suppression and plasma nizatidine concentrations were directly related. Nizatidine kinetics were linear and proportional to dose. The t1/2 was 1.3 hr (range 0.7 to 2.1 hr), the volume of distribution was 1.2 +/- 0.5 l/kg, and clearance was 0.6 +/- 0.2 l/kg/hr. Laboratory abnormalities and side effects were minor in both studies.     

Achlorhydria-induced hypergastrinaemia: the role of bacteria.

1. Studies of Helicobacter pylori show that microbes can alter gastrin release. Lack of gastric acid (achlorhydria) causes hypergastrinaemia and allows bacteria to grow within the stomach. We speculated that the bacteria contribute to the rise in gastrin seen after acid inhibition, and tested the idea by comparing plasma gastrin levels during inhibition of acid secretion between germ-free and conventional rats. 2. Matched germ-free and conventional rats (n = 8 per group) received either vehicle (saline) or one of two doses of the histamine-H2-receptor antagonist loxtidine for 1 week. Gastrin was measured in cardiac blood by a specific r.i.a. 3. Plasma gastrin concentrations in germ-free and conventional rats were 59 +/- 11 pmol/l (mean +/- SEM) and 36 +/- 8 pmol/l, respectively, after vehicle, and 153 +/- 30 pmol/l and 181 +/- 27 pmol/l, respectively, after loxtidine at a dose of 10 mg day -1 kg -1, which partially inhibits acid secretion. Administration of loxtidine at a dose of 70 mg day -1 kg-1, which completely inhibits acid secretion, did not produce a significant extra rise in plasma gastrin concentration in germ-free rats (178 +/- 11 pmol/l), but further elevated plasma gastrin concentrations to 278 +/- 26 pmol/l in conventional rats (P less than 0.005 compared with germ-free rats). 4. Loxtidine produced a dose-dependent rise in the number of eosinophils in the gastric mucosa of conventional rats. 5. We conclude that partial inhibition of gastric acid secretion increases gastrin release independently of bacteria, but that bacteria are involved in the further rise in gastrin which occurs on more profound inhibition of gastric acid secretion.     

Intravenous infusion of L-isomers of phenylalanine and tryptophan stimulate gastric acid secretion at physiologic plasma concentrations in normal subjects and after parietal cell vagotomy.

To determine whether intravenous infusion of individual amino acids stimulated gastric acid secretion in man, graded doses of phenylalanine, tryptophan, glycine, alanine, histidine, and NaCl control were infused on separate days in nine healthy subjects. Intravenous infusion of phenylalanine and tryptophan significantly stimulated gastric acid secretion to 50 and 52%, respectively, of the acid secretory response to intragastric peptone. Intravenous alanine and histidine were without effect, whereas glycine produced a slight response. Serum gastrin concentrations did not significantly change during intravenous amino acid infusion, except in response to 0.1 M phenylalanine. However, the increase in serum gastrin occurred 2 h after acid secretion had significantly increased in response to the 0.025 M phenylalanine infusion. Plasma amino acid concentrations were measured during intravenous amino acid infusion and in response to a steak meal in five of the subjects. At a time when acid secretion was significantly increased during intravenous infusion of phenylalanine and tryptophan, plasma amino acids were similar to, or less than, that observed after the steak meal, suggesting that circulating levels of these three amino acids have a physiologic effect on gastric secretion in man. Intravenous infusion of a combination of graded doses of phenylalanine plus a continuous infusion of 0.01 M tryptophan shifted the dose-response curve to the left and resulted in a significantly greater response than to either amino acid alone. In five subjects with parietal cell vagotomy, intravenous phenylalanine and tryptophan stimulated acid secretion, whereas histidine was without effect, similar to normal subjects. These studies indicate that intravenous infusion of small amounts of phenylalanine (0.025 M, 3.1 mmol/h) and tryptophan (0.01 M, 1.25 mmol/h) stimulated gastric acid secretion at plasma concentrations similar to those observed after a steak meal, suggesting a physiologic role for circulating levels of these amino acids on gastric acid secretion. Because acid secretion increased at a time when serum gastrin was unchanged and since there was no correlation between changes in serum gastrin and acid secretion, the responses to phenylalanine and tryptophan are probably mediated by a nongastrin-related mechanism(s). Since both phenylalanine and tryptophan stimulated secretion in vagotomized subjects, the response is vagally independent. These observations suggest that circulating levels of these two amino acids have either a direct or indirect effect on or near the human parietal cell.     

The Effects of Secretin, Pancreozymin, and Gastrin on Insulin and Glucagon Secretion in Anesthetized Dogs

The effects upon islet hormone secretion of highly purified preparations of secretin and of pancreozymin-cholecystokinin and of a crude gastrin-containing extract of hog antrum have been studied in acutely operated dogs. All three preparations were shown to cause a striking increase in insulin concentration in the pancreaticoduodenal venous plasma after their rapid endoportal injection in anesthetized dogs. With each hormone preparation, the peak in insulin secretion occurred 1 minute after injection, and a rapid decline was observed immediately thereafter. Whereas secretin and gastrin failed to alter significantly the pancreaticoduodenal venous glucagon or arterial glucose concentration, pancreozymin caused a dramatic rise in pancreaticoduodenal venous glucagon concentration, which reached a peak 3 minutes after injection, and hyperglycemia was noted to occur soon thereafter. Endoportal infusion of secretin and pancreozymin for 20 minutes caused responses that were sustained but qualitatively identical to the responses noted after rapid injection of the hormones. The beta-cytotropic effect of secretin was abolished by the infusion of epinephrine.These results could not be attributed to the small degree of contamination of the enteric hormone preparations with insulin or glucagon, and it would appear that secretin, pancreozymin, and probably gastrin have insulin-releasing activity and that pancreozymin has, in addition, glucagon-releasing activity.The demonstration that these three hormones possess insulin-releasing activity suggests that there is in the gastrointestinal tract a chain of betacytotropic hormones from antrum to ileum that is capable of augmenting insulin secretion as required for disposal of substrate loads. It is suggested that the existence of this "entero-insular axis" prevents high substrate concentrations that would otherwise follow ingestion of large meals were the insular response entirely a function of arterial substrate concentration.