[Changes in secretion of cholecystokinin after cholecystectomy and the effect of these changes on biliary reflux and the state of the gastric mucosa]

Cholecystokinin's role in regulations of gallbladder and gastric function was well documented. After cholecystectomy a secretion of cholecystokinin may be changed and observed symptoms are able to create a new clinical picture including biliary gastric reflux. In the study was noticed that in 12 patients after cholecystectomy the cholecystokinin secretion was increased in comparison to the period before operation. Observed increased levels of the enzyme were not in connection with biliary gastric reflux.

Autocrine stimulation of AR4-2J rat pancreatic tumor cell growth by glycine-extended gastrin

Glycine-extended gastrin (gastrin-Gly) stimulates proliferation of AR4-2J pancreatic tumor cell line through a specific receptor, different from the gastrin-cholecystokinin B receptor. Our purpose was to determine whether AR4-2J cells produced gastrin-Gly and then whether the peptide was involved in an autocrine loop. First, proliferation of AR4-2J cells in serum-free medium was inhibited by a gastrin anti-sense oligodeoxynucleotide phosphorothioate and by antibodies specific for gastrin-Gly. In contrast, antibodies specific for alpha-amidated gastrin were without effect. By using RT-PCR, we have shown that AR4-2J cells expressed gastrin mRNA. The presence of gastrin-Gly, but not alpha-amidated gastrin, in serum-free media was detected by radioimmunoanalysis. Gel chromatography revealed that the predominant molecular forms secreted were glycine-extended gastrin-34 and gastrin- 17. Furthermore, epidermal growth factor (EGF), a stimulator of gastrin gene transcription, modulates gastrin-Gly secretion by AR4-2J. These data together suggest that gastrin-Gly is an autocrine growth factor for AR4-2J cells and that it participates with EGF in the regulation of AR4-2J-cell proliferation.

Pharmacokinetics and organ metabolism of carboxyamidated and glycine-extended gastrins in pigs

The elimination of carboxyamidated gastrin-17 and its glycine-extended precursor was studied in anesthetized pigs during constant-rate infusion. Extraction of amidated gastrin-17 was recorded in the hindlimb (42%), kidney (40%), head (32%, P < 0.001), and the gut (13%, P < 0.01). Elimination was not recorded in the liver, lungs, or heart. Extraction of glycine-extended gastrin-17 was measured in the kidney (36%), hindlimb (31%, P < 0.001), head (26%), and the gut (16%, P < 0.01), but not in the liver or the lungs. Glycine-extended gastrin-17 was not processed to amidated gastrin during infusion. The half-life, metabolic clearance rate, and apparent volume of distribution for amidated gastrin-17 were 3.5 +/- 0.4 min, 15.5 +/- 1.1 ml.kg-1.min-1, and 76.5 +/- 9.9 ml/kg, respectively, and for glycine-extended gastrin-17 were 4.3 +/- 0.6 min, 17.4 +/- 0.9 ml.kg-1.min-1, and 104.7 +/- 11.9 ml/kg, respectively. We conclude that extraction of amidated and glycine-extended gastrin-17 varies in the vascular beds, with elimination mainly confined to nonorgan tissues and the kidneys.

Devazepide-induced hyperplasia in the rat liver and bile ducts

Cholecystokinin (CCK) is a potent stimulus of pancreatic enzyme secretion and growth and is known to influence the flow of biliary secretions. It has also been suggested as a trophic stimulus of the biliary tract and liver, but confirmatory studies are lacking. The aim of the present experiment was to study the effects on the rat liver and biliary tract of long-term stimulation of CCK-8S and the CCK-A receptor antagonist devazepide, respectively. Sprague-Dawley male rats had an infusion of sulfated CCK-8, devazepide or sodium chloride by subcutaneously implanted osmotic minipumps. The animals were sacrified 36 h and 3, 7 or 28 days after the start of infusion, and all had an injection of tritiated thymidine (1 mCi/kg) intraperitoneally 1 h prior to death. The liver was dissected out, weighed and processed for its content of protein, DNA and water. After autoradiography, histologic samples were examined for labeled hepatocytes and bile duct epithelium. Devazepide caused an increase in liver protein content from 36 h on. After 3 days labeling index of hepatocytes and liver DNA concentration were increased. On day 7, induced cell proliferation was also seen in the bile duct epithelium, and the increase in liver DNA content and concentration was now more pronounced and persisted throughout the study. After 28 days devazepide also induced increased crude and relative liver weight. A transient reduction in liver weight and liver protein content and concentration was seen after 7 days of CCK-8S infusion. There were no changes of the labeling index of hepatocytes or bile duct epithelial cells or in liver DNA content in the rats receiving CCK-8S infusion. Devazepide induced hyperplastic changes in both the liver and the biliary tract, probably by interfering with the bile secretion, whereas CCK-8S did not exert any similar effects. The results do not support CCK as a hepatotrophic factor.

Cholecystokinin peptides and receptors in the rat brain during stress

Cholecystokinin (CCK) has been implicated in stress and anxiety disorders. We have studied the levels of different molecular forms of CCK and CCK receptor characteristics in rats kept for 1 h in individual cages and exposed to decapitation of conspecifics, and a control group which was decapitated immediately. Total CCK concentration was found to be increased in the hippocampus of stressed animals in the first experiment: this finding was not confirmed in further studies. No effect of stress was found on total CCK levels in the frontal cortex, hypothalamus, striatum, and septum. CCK-8-sulphated, CCK-8-nonsulphated, CCK-5, and CCK-4 were separated by HPLC and measured with two antibodies with different selectivity: no effect of stress was found on the levels of any of these molecular forms of CCK. Injection procedure and diazepam (5 mg/kg) administration had no effect on total CCK levels. Exposition of rats to the decapitation procedure increased [3H]-CCK-8 binding in the frontal and cerebral (whole-frontal) cortex. This effect could not be blocked by diazepam pretreatment. Injection procedure itself increased CCK receptor binding in the cerebral cortex, but the effect of this type of stress was smaller in magnitude. The upregulation of CCK receptors in stressed animals was due to the increased binding of radioligand on CCKB receptor subtype.

Autocrine stimulation of AR4-2J rat pancreatic tumor cell growth by glycine-extended gastrin

Glycine-extended gastrin (gastrin-Gly) stimulates proliferation of AR4-2J pancreatic tumor cell line through a specific receptor, different from the gastrin-cholecystokinin B receptor. Our purpose was to determine whether AR4-2J cells produced gastrin-Gly and then whether the peptide was involved in an autocrine loop. First, proliferation of AR4-2J cells in serum-free medium was inhibited by a gastrin anti-sense oligodeoxynucleotide phosphorothioate and by antibodies specific for gastrin-Gly. In contrast, antibodies specific for alpha-amidated gastrin were without effect. By using RT-PCR, we have shown that AR4-2J cells expressed gastrin mRNA. The presence of gastrin-Gly, but not alpha-amidated gastrin, in serum-free media was detected by radioimmunoanalysis. Gel chromatography revealed that the predominant molecular forms secreted were glycine-extended gastrin-34 and gastrin- 17. Furthermore, epidermal growth factor (EGF), a stimulator of gastrin gene transcription, modulates gastrin-Gly secretion by AR4-2J. These data together suggest that gastrin-Gly is an autocrine growth factor for AR4-2J cells and that it participates with EGF in the regulation of AR4-2J-cell proliferation.

Molecular structure and genetic mapping of the mouse gastrin gene

The mouse gastrin gene has three exons totalling 460 bp and a deduced preprogastrin of 101 amino acids. The sequence of murine gastrin-34 is 94% identical to rat gastrin-34 and 76% identical to human gastrin-34. At Arg79, mouse progastrin has a unique cleavage site that might allow species-specific synthesis of gastrin-13. Northern analysis and RT-PCR demonstrated that gastrin gene transcripts are abundant in mouse stomach and duodenum and present at low levels in brain, ovary and pancreas, similar to the pattern described for other mammals. The gastrin gene was mapped to the distal region of mouse chromosome 11.

The relationship between gut hormone secretion and gastric emptying in different phases of the migrating motor complex

BACKGROUND

No studies are available on the relationship between the response of gut hormones and gastric emptying in different phases of the migrating motor complex. This study examined whether basal gut hormone concentrations in plasma before food ingestion are predictors of emptying characteristics and whether different hormone secretion patterns are associated with specific alterations in emptying rate.

METHODS

Twelve healthy men were examined on two occasions: one with meal ingestion in phase I and the other with meal ingestion in phase II. The meal consisted of an omelette labelled with 99mTc followed by 150 ml water labelled with 111In. Plasma concentrations of gastrin, cholecystokinin, motilin, and peptide YY were measured in the fasting state, immediately after food ingestion, and at 15-min intervals in the postprandial period.

RESULTS

New findings from the present study include a higher incremental integrated postprandial motilin response in phase I than in phase II (998 pmol/l*30 min (495 to 2010) versus 210 pmol/l*30 min (-270 to 2323), p < 0.05), and a linear relationship between median total integrated motilin response and solid emptying at 120 min in phase I (Rs = 0.58; p < 0.05). Furthermore, in phase I a linear relationship between total integrated area of cholecystokinin and solid emptying at 120 min was demonstrated (Rs = 0.62; p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The findings from the present investigation have to be considered in the future design of studies that focus on postprandial release of gastrointestinal hormones. The transition from phase III to phase I is a reproducible and easily recognized pressure event. Therefore, we recommend the use of food ingestion immediately after termination of duodenal phase III.

An efficient cellular system for mutational analysis of prohormone processing

A novel system for heterologous expression of prohormones based on transient transfection of the HIT beta-cell line was established using human progastrin as a model. Progastrin was expressed at high levels compared to other gene transfer systems in endocrine cells, and the processing pattern was similar to that of normal antral gastrin cells. Thus, gastrin was partially tyrosine O-sulfated and carboxyamidated. Cell extracts contained mainly gastrin-17 and gastrin-34 and the corresponding glycine-extended forms. In contrast, the media contained more incompletely processed gastrin forms. This suggests that gastrin was directed to the regulated secretory pathway but that some progastrin products were constitutively secreted. Glucose increased both the level of gastrin gene expression and maturation to carboxyamidated peptides, indicating that glucose influences the activity of the amidation enzyme complex, peptidylglycine alpha-amidating mono-oxygenase (PAM), in insulin cells. Mutational analysis of tyrosine sulfation of gastrin demonstrated that substitution of the uncharged residue carboxy-terminal to the tyrosine with an acidic residue does not increase sulfation in contrast to previous results, where the amino-terminal residue was replaced with an acidic residue. The mutant peptides displayed sulfation-dependent processing, supporting our recent suggestion that tyrosine sulfation increases the proteolytic processing of prohormones.

Hepatic and intestinal elimination of endogenous gastrin in pigs

The elimination of endogenous carboxyamidated and glycine-extended gastrins in liver and gut was studied before and after feeding in 14 anesthetized pigs. Before the meal, liver and gut extractions were nonsignificant. After feeding, the release rate of amidated gastrin increased from 7.5 +/- 2.6 to 21.9 +/- 5.3 pmol/min (p < 0.02), and the liver extracted significant amounts of amidated gastrin, while the intestinal extraction remained nonsignificant. The postprandial hepatic extraction ratio increased from 0.09 +/- 0.04 to 0.18 +/- 0.04 (p < 0.01). Before feeding, the hepatic and extrahepatic clearance rates were 80.0 +/- 38.7 and 232.3 +/- 77.7 ml/min. Clearance rates after feeding were 144.8 +/- 29.5 (p < 0.01) and 326.4 +/- 75.3 ml/min (NS), respectively. Portal plasma displayed a small postprandial increase in the concentration of glycine-extended gastrin, but extraction over the liver and gut remained nonsignificant. Gel chromatography of portal plasma showed that the fraction of postprandial amidated gastrin corresponded to gastrin-17. The concentration of glycine-extended gastrin was too low for chromatographic analysis. We conclude that endogenous amidated gastrin is eliminated in the liver after feeding in pigs.

Gallbladder emptying and cholecystokinin response to fish oil and trioleate ingestion

The aim of the present study was to compare gallbladder emptying, gastric emptying and release of cholecystokinin (CCK), gastrin and secretin after intragastric administration of fish oil and trioleate. After intravenous injection of 99mTc-HIDA, 30 ml of a lipid labelled with 111In was administered through a gastric tube. Using dual scintigraphy with two markers, gallbladder and gastric emptying were measured simultaneously for 120 min. Plasma concentrations of gastrin, secretin and CCK, were determined throughout the period. The emptying of the gallbladder was reduced by 27% and the release of CCK by 85% after fish oil as compared with trioleate. Gastric emptying as well as the release of gastrin and secretin were similar after the two types of fat. The results suggest that the reduced gallbladder emptying after fish oil may be due to a smaller release of CCK.

Metabolism and influence of glycine-extended gastrin on gastric acid secretion in man

Glycine-extracted gastrins are the immediate precursors of the bioactive carboxyamidated gastrins. The effect on gastric acid secretion and the pharmacokinetics of glycine-extended gastrin-17 were studied in 8 normal subjects. The elimination in plasma after bolus injection was biexponential, the half-lives being 4.1 +/- 0.2 and 21.8 +/- 0.9 min, and clearance and apparent volume of distribution being 7.9 +/- 0.6 ml/kg/min and 69.5 +/- 2.7 ml/kg, respectively. Infusion of the peptide at three consecutive dose rates did not stimulate gastric acid secretion, although plasma concentrations reached supraphysiological levels. Nor did glycine-extended gastrin-17 influence submaximal acid secretion induced by amidated gastrin-17. In contrast to amidated gastrins, the concentration of glycine-extended gastrins in peripheral venous plasma did not increase significantly after a meal. The postprandial rise in amidated gastrin was unaffected by concomitant infusion of glycine-extended gastrin-17. A reduction in glycine-extended gastrin-17 concentrations in plasma during constant-rate infusion of the peptide was observed after a protein meal (p < 0.05). This reduction was reflected by an increase in glycine-extended gastrin-17 is without immediate effect on gastric output in man. The postprandial increase in clearance might be due to increased splanchnic blood flow with subsequently increased peptide elimination.

Gastrointestinal endocrinology

During the last quarter of this century gastrointestinal endocrinology has grown explosively. In 1970, three hormones (secretin, gastrin, and cholecystokinin) were identified and by authorities in the field considered sufficient to explain the entire hormonal regulation of digestion. That was some underestimation. Today the gut is known to express more than 20 different hormonal/regulatory peptide systems. Their widespread cellular occurrence, gene expression cascades, secretory mechanisms, receptors and receptor binding, as well as normal and pathophysiological effects are now also fairly well known owing to the marked progress in basic sciences and biochemical technologies (immuno and peptides chemistry, molecular and cell biology). Thus, the gut is now recognized as the largest endocrine organ of the body; and a substantial part of the gastroenterologic research over the latest decades has been devoted to gut hormones. The following review describes the recent development, with emphasis on gastrointestinal peptide systems that have been studied and even discovered in Denmark. Hence, as reflected by the number of doctoral theses and PhD studies (> 50 since 1974), gastrointestinal endocrinology has been a major research area in this country in the past 25 years.

Transcriptional regulation of the human cholecystokinin gene: composite action of upstream stimulatory factor, Sp1, and members of the CREB/ATF-AP-1 family of transcription factors

We have examined cis-elements and trans-acting factors that regulate transcription of the human cholecystokinin (CCK) gene. Transient expression of CCK promoter deletion constructs in human SK-N-MC neuroblastoma cells depicted positive cis-elements between the positions -100 to -92, -84 to -74, and -58 to -37, 5' to the transcription initiation site. Correspondingly, DNase I protection analysis showed that transacting factors bound to elements within these regions. The sequences encompass a putative basic helix-loop-helix leucine zipper (bHLH-ZIP) element, an Sp1 element, and a combined cAMP- and TPA-responsive element (CRE/TRE) at positions -97 to -92, -39 to -34, and -80 to -73, respectively. Mobility and supershift assays demonstrated that upstream stimulatory factor (USF) and Sp1 bind to the former elements and competition experiments confirmed that CREB/ATF and AP-1 bind to the CRE/TRE element. Mutation of the bHLH-ZIP and CRE/TRE elements decreased the activity of the promoter by 65% and 42%, respectively. The activity of the promoter was increased six- and two-fold after stimulation with forskolin and TPA, respectively. Stimulation was eliminated after mutation of the CRE/TRE element. Co-transfection experiments with pRSV-c-jun, pSV-fos, and pRC-RSV-CREB constructs showed that jun, CREB, and AP-1 stimulate transcription. We conclude that USF, Sp1, and members of the CREB/ATF and AP-1 family of transcription factors are the major determinants of CCK gene transcription.

Gastroenteropancreatic tumours and prohormones

The structures and post-translational maturation of pancreatic and gastrointestinal prohormones are reviewed with emphasis on Danish contributions to today's knowledge. The review describes general, cell-specific, and tumour-specific prohormone-processing patterns. Since prohormone-processing in endocrine tumours is often attenuated, conventional assays that measure only the phenotypic endpoint of hormone gene expression (i.e. the bioactive hormone) do not quantitate tumour activity accurately. In contrast, measurements that include also prohormones and processing intermediates provide more accurate data on hormone synthesis in gastroenteropancreatic endocrine tumours. In order to comply with such demands we have developed a new analytical principle (processing-independent analysis (PIA)) which quantitates the entire translation product irrespective of the degree of processing. The significance of PIA in routine diagnostics awaits prospective evaluation. We hope that the present review illustrates how the tumour biology of endocrine cells in the pancreas and the gut has been an essential research area in Danish gastroenterology and endocrinology--one purpose being improvement of early diagnosis of endocrine tumours in the gut and the pancreas.

Effect of endogenous hypergastrinemia on gastrin receptor expressing human colon carcinoma transplanted to athymic rats

BACKGROUND & AIMS

The effect of endogenous hypergastrinemia on growth of human colon carcinoma is not known. Our aim was to study the growth of human colon carcinoma in an animal model with endogenous hypergastrinemia.

METHODS

Human colon carcinoma was transplanted to the colon of 40 athymic rats. Of these, 25 underwent gastric fundectomy to accomplish endogenous hypergastrinemia, and 15 were sham operated to serve as controls. The duration of the study was 8 weeks. During the last week, 12 fundectomized animals received a gastrin (cholecystokinin B) receptor antagonist. Metaphase arrest index, local invasion, and distant spread of the tumor were investigated. Expression of gastrin and cholecystokinin B receptor messenger RNA was examined by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

Tumor spread by direct extension outside the colon was observed in all animals, and liver metastases were observed in 10 of the 25 fundectomized animals. Sham-operated animals showed none of these features. The metaphase arrest index of the tumor did not differ between fundectomized animals given the cholecystokinin B receptor antagonist and sham-operated animals, whereas it was significantly increased in fundectomized animals not given the antagonist. The tumor expressed both gastrin and cholecystokinin B receptor messenger RNA.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicate that endogenous hypergastrinemia may promote proliferation and spread of human colon carcinoma expressing cholecystokinin B receptor.

Metabolism and influence of gastrin-52 on gastric acid secretion in humans

It has been shown recently that the two largest alpha-carboxyamidated progastrin products are gastrin-71 and gastrin-52. Human gastrin-52 has now been synthesized, and the effect on gastric acid secretion and elimination from plasma was examined and compared with gastrin-17 in 12 normal subjects. The peptides were infused separately in four consecutive doses; the maximum response of gastrin-17 and gastrin-52 was 25.2 +/- 2.8 and 22.2 +/- 2.8 mmol H+/50 min, respectively (P < 0.01). This difference in efficacy was presumably related to nonequilibrium of gastrin-52 between plasma and receptor. The elimination of gastrin-17 was monoexponential with a half-life of 4.7 +/- 0.3 min; clearance and apparent volume of distribution were 16.7 +/- 1.5 ml.kg-1.min-1 and 106.0 +/- 9.2 ml/kg, respectively. The elimination of gastrin-52 was biexponential, the half-lives were 4.9 +/- 0.7 and 49.9 +/- 4.2 min, and clearance and apparent volume of distribution were 1.9 +/- 0.2 ml.kg-1.min-1 and 106.3 +/- 10.1 ml/kg, respectively. Gel chromatography of plasma samples drawn during infusion of gastrin-52 revealed that most of the immunoreactivity eluted in the position of the intact peptide. Small peaks in the positions of gastrin-34 and the NH2-terminal pentapeptide fragment of gastrin-52 indicate that a minor part of gastrin-52 is degraded to smaller peptides in vivo. It is concluded that gastrin-52 is bioactive with an efficacy close to or similar to that of gastrin-17. A minor fraction of gastrin-52 undergoes postsecretory cleavage either in plasma or after capillary transit.

The sulfakinins of the blowfly Calliphora vomitoria. Peptide isolation, gene cloning and expression studies

The nonapeptide, Phe-Asp-Asp-Tyr(SO3)-Gly-His-Met-Arg-Phe-NH2 was isolated from heads of the blowfly Calliphora vomitoria. Designated callisulfakinin I, the peptide is identical to the earlier known drosulfakinin I of Drosophila melanogaster and to neosulfakinin I of Neobellieria bullata. It belongs to the sulfakinin family, all known members of which (from flies, cockroaches and locusts) have the C-terminal heptapeptide sequence Asp-Tyr(SO3)-Gly-His-Met-Arg-Phe-NH2. The callisulfakinin gene of C. vomitoria was cloned and sequenced. In addition to callisulfakinin I, the DNA revealed a coding sequence for the putative tetradecapeptide. Gly-Gly-Glu-Glu-Gln-Phe-Asp-Asp-Tyr-Gly-His- Met-Arg-Phe-NH2, callisulfakinin II. However, this peptide was not identified in the fly head extracts. Confocal laser scanning immunocytochemical studies with antisera raised against the synthetic undecapeptide C-terminal fragment of drosulfakinin II from D. melanogaster, Asp-Gln-Phe-Asp-Asp-Tyr(SO3)- Gly-His-Met-Arg-Phe-NH2, revealed only four pairs of sulfakinin neurones in the brain of C. vomitoria and no others anywhere else in the neural, endocrine or gut tissues. In situ hybridisation studies with a digoxigenin-labelled sulfakinin gene probe (from the blowfly Lucilia cuprina) also revealed only four pairs of neurones in the brain. The perikarya of two pairs of cells are situated medially in the caudo-dorsal region, close to the roots of the ocellar nerve. The other perikarya are slightly more posterior and lateral. Although it has been suggested by several authors that the insect sulfakinins are homologous to the vertebrate peptides gastrin and cholecystokinin, such arguments (based essentially on C-terminal structural similarities) do not take account of important differences in the C-terminal tetrapeptide. His-Met-Arg-Phe-NH2 in the sulfakinins, compared with Trp-Met-Asp-Phe-NH2 in gastrin and cholecystokinin. Furthermore, whereas the sulfakinin neurons of C. vomitoria are small in number and have a very specialised location, a greater number of cells throughout the nervous system react positively to gastrin/cholecystokinin antisera. Chromatographic profiles of the present study also revealed peaks of gastrin/cholecystokinin-immunoreactive material separate from the sulfakinin peptides. This evidence suggests that the insect and vertebrate peptides may not necessarily be homologous.

A distal Sp1-element is necessary for maximal activity of the human gastrin gene promoter

Studies of transgenic mice have shown that transcriptional control of the gastrin gene exhibits significant species differences. Transfection of the human gastrin promoter in murine cells have depicted proximal Sp1, E-box and CACC elements as the major determinants of transcription. We have examined cis-regulatory elements of the human promoter on a human gastrin expressing cell line and find that a distal -135 to -142 Sp1 element is necessary for maximal activity. Alignment of the mouse and human promoters shows that the proximal human Sp1 and CACC elements are not conserved, whereas the E-box element is retained. The distal Sp1 element is present in mouse but exhibits a C to T transition in the core that is likely to reduce binding affinity of Sp1. We conclude that gastrin gene transcription is regulated by distinct elements in man and rodents.

The ratio between anionic and cationic trypsin in rat pancreas varies with CCK stimulation

The effects of long-term hyperstimulation with cholecystokinin (CCK) on the pancreatic contents of anionic and cationic trypsin(ogen) and amylase were studied in the rat. Endogenous hyperCCKemia was evoked in rats by pancreaticobiliary diversion (PBD), and exogenous hyperCCKemia by continuous subcutaneous CCK infusion. In addition, the effect of continuous subcutaneous infusion of the CCK A receptor antagonist devazepide was studied. After 4 weeks blood samples were obtained for the determination of plasma CCK concentrations and the animals were sacrificed. The pancreatic glands were harvested, weighted, and extracted. The extracts were analyzed for anionic and cationic trypsin and amylase. Enzyme contents showed a large interindividual variation. The most consistent change in enzyme pattern was an increase in the ratio between anionic and cationic trypsin in animals with hyperCCKemia (PBD operated or CCK infused). Furthermore, this ratio decreased significantly in animals treated with devazepide. In conclusion, stimulation of the CCK receptor changed the ratio between anionic and cationic trypsin in the pancreatic gland, while it was reversed during blockade of the receptor.

Time-course of the pancreatic changes following long-term stimulation or inhibition of the CCK-A receptor

Cholecystokinin (CCK) reportedly induces both hyperplastic and hypertrophic changes in the pancreas. Blockade of the CCK receptor results in decreased pancreatic secretion and atrophy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the time-course of the effects of stimulation and inhibition of the CCK-A receptor in the rat exocrine pancreas. Male rats had infusion of sulfated CCK-8, the CCK-A receptor antagonist devazepide, or sodium chloride by osmotic minipumps. After 36 h, 3, 7, or 28 d the rats had ip injections of thymidine, and 1 h later they were sacrificed. The pancreas was excised, weighed, and its content of protein, DNA, water, and enzymes was analyzed. Histologic samples were prepared for autoradiography. Pancreatic weight, protein, and DNA were increased at 36 h after the start of CCK infusion and throughout the study period. CCK stimulation also increased the content of trypsin at days 3 and 28. The labeling index of pancreatic acinar cells was increased at 36 h. Blockade of endogenous CCK by the receptor antagonist devazepide led to decreased pancreatic weight from the third day of infusion, whereas the protein content was decreased from the seventh day. At day 28, the DNA content was decreased by devazepide. However, the labeling index of acinar cells decreased transiently already at 36 h. Neither CCK nor devazepide caused any changes of protein content:DNA content ratio during the study. Continuous infusion of CCK caused pancreatic hyperplasia already after 36 h. Stimulation up to 28 d did not cause any further effects. The adverse changes found after blockade of the CCK-A receptor showed much of the same time-course.