Human gastric lipase: a sulfhydryl enzyme

One sulfhydryl group was modified per mol of native human gastric lipase after incubation at pH 8.0 with 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) for 18 h or with 4,4'-dithiopyridine for 100 min. With both reagents a direct correlation was found between the modification of one sulfhydryl group and the loss of human gastric lipase activity. Incubation of human gastric lipase with a new hydrophobic sulfhydryl reagent dodecyldithio-5-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) in 30-fold molar excess, at pH 3.0, 5.0, and 8.0, induced immediate and complete human gastric lipase inactivation. Unlike 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) and 4,4'-dithiopyridine, dodecyldithio-5-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) almost instantaneously stopped the course of tributyrin hydrolysis by human gastric lipase. Human gastric lipase can thus be said to be a sulfhydryl enzyme.

Pepsins in protein-energy malnutrition

This study reports on basal gastric pepsins in 40 normal, kwashiorkor and marasmic children admitted to the paediatric wards of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. The activity of total pepsin was significantly depressed in the diseased states. The various fractions of pepsin separated on ion-exchange chromatography also showed dramatic reductions for both kwashiorkor and marasmus. This adaptive reduction of pepsin and its fractions was more drastic in marasmus than kwashiorkor. On disc-gel electrophoresis, four of the pepsin bands found in normal gastric aspirate were missing in children with the syndromes. Gastric electrolytes and acidity recorded for the diseased states were not conducive for maximal peptic activity. It is suggested that due to the reduced proteolytic capability of the malnourished infants, rehabilitation with intact protein should be cautious and gradual.

Human gastric lipase. A kinetic study with dicaprin monolayers

The effects of several proteins on the hydrolysis at pH 3.0 of didecanoylglycerol monolayers by human gastric lipase were investigated. Among the six proteins tested (bovine serum albumin, myoglobin, a protein inhibiting lipase isolated from soya bean, melittin, beta-lactoglobulin and ovalbumin), only the first three proteins were found to inhibit lipase activity. The inhibition capacity of the proteins was not related to the decrease in interfacial tension or to their isoelectric points. However, inhibition of human gastric lipase by proteins may be correlated with the penetration power of the protein into the lipid interface. It is hypothesized that this lipase has a higher penetration power than that of pancreatic lipase, even though the former enzyme is more susceptible to interfacial denaturation.

The effects of prostaglandin E1 on the pepsin activities in gastric mucosa and juice

Prostaglandin E1 elevated pepsin activity in gastric mucosa but lowered pepsin activity in the gastric juice of rats treated by pylorus ligation and intragastric administration of hydrochloric acid. In these animals zymogen granules with low electron density were numerous in the gastric chief cells following prostaglandin E1 treatment. The prostaglandin E1-induced increase in mucosal pepsin activity was slightly inhibited by actinomycin D and there was no apparent increase in 3H-thymidine incorporation into gastric mucosa following treatment with prostaglandin E1. It is suggested that prostaglandin E1 causes an elevation of pepsin activity in the gastric mucosa by stimulating pepsin synthesis and perhaps also by facilitating pepsin release from zymogen granules. However, it also appears to inhibit pepsin release from the mucosa into the gastric cavity judging by the decrease of pepsin activity in gastric juice. The reduced pepsin activity in gastric juice may account, in part, for the reported anti-ulcerative action of prostaglandin.

Role of nonpancreatic lipolytic activity in exocrine pancreatic insufficiency

Patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency may absorb greater than 50% of dietary fat despite the absence of measurable pancreatic lipase activity. Nonpancreatic lipolytic activity was measured in gastric and duodenal aspirates from 5 patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency secondary to alcoholism and in aspirates from 5 alcoholics without evidence of exocrine pancreatic dysfunction (controls). Samples were collected under fasting and postprandial conditions. All patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency had nonpancreatic lipolytic activity in gastric and duodenal aspirates. Lipolytic activity in gastric aspirates was not significantly different between the patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and the controls during the fasting and postprandial periods. Pancreatic insufficiency was associated with significantly (p less than 0.05) higher nonpancreatic lipolytic activity in the duodenum under fasting conditions. No significant difference between the groups was found in postprandial nonpancreatic lipolytic activity. Nonpancreatic lipolytic activity accounted for approximately 90% of total lipolytic activity at the ligament of Treitz in patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency as opposed to 7% in the control subjects. These observations suggest a significant role for nonpancreatic lipolytic activity (lingual lipase and gastric lipase) in fat digestion in patients with pancreatic insufficiency secondary to chronic alcohol abuse.

Gastric proteases in the human infant

The electrophoretic mobilities of proteases present in gastric juice taken within 10 h of birth from 5 healthy, premature infants were compared with calf chymosin, pig pepsin A and human adult gastric juice. The juice from 2 infants contained predominantly a chymosin-like enzyme, another had almost exclusively pepsins similar to those of the adult juice, while the other two contained a mixture of both. The pepsins consisted of two elements, probably pepsin A (EC 3.4.23.1), and pepsin C (EC 3.4.23.3). Single radial immunodiffusion gave a definite reaction to calf anti-chymosin serum in five samples taken from a further 17 infants. These results indicate that some human infants secrete chymosin. The reaction in the immunodiffusion assay indicated a much lower enzyme activity than that implied from electrophoretic separations. It is suggested that species differences resulted in poor cross-reactivity of the antiserum.

Evolution in the structure and function of aspartic proteases

Aspartic proteases (EC3.4.23) are a group of proteolytic enzymes of the pepsin family that share the same catalytic apparatus and usually function in acid solutions. This latter aspect limits the function of aspartic proteases to some specific locations in different organisms; thus the occurrence of aspartic proteases is less abundant than other groups of proteases, such as serine proteases. The best known sources of aspartic proteases are stomach (for pepsin, gastricsin, and chymosin), lysosomes (for cathepsins D and E), kidney (for renin), yeast granules, and fungi (for secreted proteases such as rhizopuspepsin, penicillopepsin, and endothiapepsin). These aspartic proteases have been extensively studied for their structure and function relationships and have been the topics of several reviews or monographs (Tang: Acid Proteases, Structure, Function and Biology. New York: Plenum Press, 1977; Tang: J Mol Cell Biochem 26:93-109, 1979; Kostka: Aspartic Proteinases and Their Inhibitors. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 1985). All mammalian aspartic proteases are synthesized as zymogens and are subsequently activated to active proteases. Although a zymogen for a fungal aspartic protease has not been found, the cDNA structure of rhizopuspepsin suggests the presence of a "pro" enzyme (Wong et al: Fed Proc 44:2725, 1985). It is probable that other fungal aspartic proteases are also synthesized as zymogens. It is the aim of this article to summarize the major models of structure-function relationships of aspartic proteases and their zymogens with emphasis on more recent findings. Attempts will also be made to relate these models to other aspartic proteases.

Importance of human gastric lipase for intestinal lipolysis: an in vitro study

Using soybean triacylglycerols emulsified with egg lecithin we have studied, in vitro, the influence of substrate prehydrolysis by human gastric lipase upon subsequent degradation by the pancreatic lipase-co-lipase system. Fatty acids liberated by pure human gastric lipase or juice trigger immediate activity of human pancreatic lipase. Gastric lipolysis appears to be of prime importance for dietary lipid digestion in human.

[Clinico-pathogenetic basis for using crystalline lysozyme in the combined therapy of food toxinfections]

In food toxinfections caused by various microorganisms (Staphylococcus, Escherichia, Klebsiella, Proteus, Citrobacter, etc.) a decrease of lysozyme debit and an increase of pH of gastric juice were found. One third of patients exhibited lactose deficiency of the small intestine. Treatment with furazolidone contributed to the development of lactase deficit and delayed stools normalization. Crystalline lysozyme shortened duration of febrile reaction and diarrhea, its intake facilitated lactose hydrolysis.

Kinetic assay of human gastric lipase on short- and long-chain triacylglycerol emulsions

Under optimal conditions, assay for pure human gastric lipase was carried out with short- and long-chain triacylglycerol emulsions. Maximal specific activities of 1160 and 620 U/mg were obtained with tributyrin and soybean emulsion, respectively. We observed that with a tributyrin substrate, bovine serum albumin or bile salts must be added before the addition of the enzyme in order to prevent its irreversible interfacial denaturation. With long-chain triacylglycerols as substrate, a decrease with time in the rate of hydrolysis was associated with release of protonated long-chain fatty acids. The inhibitory effect of protonated fatty acids was also observed using tributyrin at pH 3.0. These observations support the conclusion that human gastric lipase shows no intrinsic specificity for short-chain triacylglycerols and that its apparent specificity is modulated by pH and presence of amphiphile in the incubation medium. Our conclusions support the view that, in the human, gastric lipolysis may play an important role in long-chain fat digestion.

[Compensation of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency during its partial, subtotal and total resection]

Chronic experiments on dogs have shown that the damage of extra-secretory pancreatic function by duct ligation caused marked compensatory changes of stomach function. The increase in gastric juice secretion and gastric juice proteolytic activity was accompanied by the reduction in its acidity. In addition to quantitative changes, qualitative shifts were revealed (amylolytic activity in strongly acid pH-reaction), never observed in the gastric juice of intact animals. Partial pancreas resection (up to 75%) both in control and test animals 10-14 months after pancreatic duct ligation was not accompanied by significant changes in gastric juice secretion. Total pancreas resection in dogs with previous pancreatic duct ligation caused neither prompt animal death, as in the control, nor the inhibition of compensatory reactions of gastric juice secretion.

Human gastric lipase. The effect of amphiphiles

Human gastric lipase (HGL) activity on tributyrin emulsion was detected only in the presence of amphiphiles such as bile salts, proteins (serum albumin, beta-lactoglobulin or ovalbumin) or phosphatidylcholine. These findings are contrary to the strong inhibitory effect of amphiphiles observed on pure pancreatic lipase. To reveal HGL activity, amphiphiles should be added prior to HGL. This may prevent irreversible interfacial denaturation. HGL activity was found to be restricted to a triacylglycerol/water surface tension ranging from 8 dyn/cm to 13 dyn/cm. All amphiphiles, which decrease the interfacial tension below 8 dyn/cm, act as irreversible inhibitors of HGL in the absence and in the presence of bile salts. Our results confirm that HGL is capable of hydrolysing triacylglycerol in the presence of the physiological concentration of bile salts prevailing in the upper small intestine and in the presence of alimentary proteins. These observations could explain the high dietary lipid absorption observed under pancreatic lipase deficiency.

Quantitation of tryptic responses to endogenous and exogenous stimulation in chronic pancreatitis

Using validated double-marker techniques to quantitate tryptic secretion we found that the mean 10-min output of trypsin in duodenal juice after a test meal was very similar to the peak 10-min output of trypsin after pancreozymin (2 Crick-Harper-Raper units/kg, Boots) both in controls as well as in non-diabetic patients with idiopathic chronic pancreatitis. These results show that the disproportionate reduction in mean tryptic activity after endogenous compared with exogenous stimulation in chronic pancreatitis is not due to impaired release of cholecystokinin-pancreozymin from the small intestine, nor to refractoriness of the pancreas to endogenously released hormone: instead, it is due to overdilution of secreted pancreatic enzymes because of accelerated gastric emptying, with or without gastric acid hypersecretion.

Lactic dehydrogenase levels in patients with duodenal ulcer, gastric ulcer, gastric polys and gastric carcinoma

LDH is found in many body fluids and tissues. Its level is elevated in many diseases. Thus the levels of LDH in serum and gastric juice were determined in both benign and malignant disease of the upper gastro-intestinal tract using the spectrophotometric techniques. 45 patients were included in the study (duodenal ulcer 19; gastric ulcer 6; gastric polyps 5; and gastric carcinoma 15). Serum LDH levels were not significantly elevated. However, the gastric juice LDH levels were significantly elevated in gastric polyps and gastric carcinoma. The mean levels were 96.81 +/- 14.31 and 443.2 +/- 58.1 i.u./L respectively. Serial estimation of gastric juice LDH in patients with gastric polyps showed a remarkable elevation at the time of malignant transformation.

The serum and gastric juice lactic dehydrogenase levels in healthy Nigerians

To define the pattern of serum and gastric lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) in Nigerians. Levels of this glycolytic enzyme were estimated in 60 (49M, 20F) healthy Nigerians using the spectrophotometric techniques. The mean serum LDH levels were 181.2 +/- 43.9 i.u./L and 157.05 +/- 37.82 i.u./L in males and females respectively. The difference related to sex was significant (P greater than 0.05). The mean gastric juice LDH levels in males and females were 17.39 +/- 7.94 i.u./L and 15.75 +/- 7.50 i.u./L. There was no correlation between the serum and gastric juice LDH levels. The levels in the healthy Nigerians are comparable to the observed values in the caucasians.

[Assessment of the in vitro digestibility of dietary proteins and of the degree of the breakdown of their antigenic structures by using polyenzyme systems]

A comparative assessment was made of the digestion of bovine serum albumin (BSA), chicken ovalbumin (OVA), and casein by means of the gastric juice--duodenal contents floccular gel structures (FGS) system and a four-enzymic system including trypsin, chymotrypsin, peptidase, and bacterial protease preparations. Decomposition of the BSA and OVA antigenic structures with the use of the two systems was also studied. Significant differences in BSA and OVA digestion by the gastric juice--FGS system were detected both with respect to amino nitrogen content and to the degree of their antigenic structure decomposition, whereas no such differences were observed when the four-enzymic system was used. The systems most accurately simulating the 'proteolytic conveyer' conditions of the gastrointestinal tract are preferable for the studies. The developed method is recommended for use in comparative assessment of the nutrient protein sensitizing properties.

Secretion of human gastric lipase from dispersed gastric glands

The presence of a triacylglycerol lipase in human gastric juice was described in previous studies. Its source and role in intragastric lipolysis was, however, uncertain. Our study presents definitive evidence for gastric origin of a lipase and its release by secretagogues. Both carbachol and cholecystokinin-8 stimulate release of this enzyme for dispersed human gastric glands. While the two secretagogues had similar efficacies, with nearly a 3-fold stimulation over basal rates, cholecystokinin-8 was about four orders of magnitude more potent in releasing lipolytic activity than carbachol (maximum stimulation at concentrations of 1 X 10(-9) and 1 X 10(-5) M, respectively). Lipolytic activity measured against triolein (18:1), tricaprylin (8:0) and tributyrin (4:0) emulsions was 1.18 +/- 0.12, 4.48 +/- 0.64, and 12.17 +/- 0.88 units (1 unit = 1 mumol free fatty acid released/min per mg protein), respectively. Characterization of the pH optimum for each substrate showed maximum lipolysis at 4.5 for tributyrin, and at 5.5 for tricaprylin and triolein. These results indicate that a lipase which hydrolyzes long-, medium- and short-chain triacylglycerols is secreted by human gastric mucosa. At pH 6.0, the pH of the duodenum, there is appreciable lipolytic activity in the presence of bile salts. This suggests that gastric lipase, in addition to initiating lipolysis in the stomach, might also aid in the digestion of lipids in the duodenum. It remains to be determined whether gastric lipase is distinct from lingual lipase, or is the same enzyme secreted by the lingual serous glands and the gastric mucosa.

Microbial and metabolic profile of achlorhydric stomach: comparison of pernicious anaemia and hypogammaglobulinaemia

The microbial flora and some of its metabolites and enzymes in the stomach were compared in patients with achlorhydria, pernicious anaemia, and primary hypogammaglobulinaemia and in patients with dyspepsia with normal gastric acidity. Detailed analysis of the flora of the gastric juice and of the mucosa from the antrum, body, and fundus in six patients with hypogammaglobulinaemia (mean pH 8.2), seven patients with pernicious anaemia (mean pH 7.3), and five patients with dyspepsia (mean pH 1.9) yielded 22 different genera of bacteria, mainly from the patients with achlorhydria, the most common being streptococci, micrococci, staphylococci, veillonella, and lactobacilli. A similar flora was found associated with the mucosa at all three sites. Various metabolites were also looked for. beta Glucoronidase and C14 lipase were found in patients with hypogammaglobulinaemia but not in those with pernicious anaemia or dyspepsia. Volatile fatty acids were not found. Relatively high concentrations of ethanol were found in the patients with hypogammaglobulinaemia compared with those with pernicious anaemia (p = 0.02). Similar concentrations of dimethylamine were found in all three groups, but the concentrations of trimethylamine were much higher in patients with pernicious anaemia and hypogammaglobulinaemia. The high concentrations of some microbial enzymes and ethanol differentiated the group with hypogammaglobulinaemia from the rest, and these may bear some relation to the high incidence of gastric cancer in patients with hypogammaglobulinaemia.

Serum pepsin activity as a parameter of gastric acid secretion

Serum pepsin activity was measured in 359 patients with various gastric diseases, the serum protein themselves serving as substrate. In 332 out of 359 patients, BAO and PAO, and in 173 of these patients, pepsin activity, were determined in gastric juices. In 102 patients, serum pepsin activity was measured before, and 45 and 90 minutes after, pentagastrin stimulation. In 71 out of these 102 patients, pepsinogen I was measured simultaneously by RIA. There was good correlation between stimulated serum pepsin activity and maximal pepsin output (r = 0.63), as well as BAO (r = 0.67) and PAO (r = 0.77). The higher the PAO, the greater the increase in pepsin activity in the sera after pentagastrin stimulation. The increase in pepsinogen I under stimulation was smaller in the sera than pepsin activity. There was a slightly better correlation of PAO with stimulated serum pepsin activity than with pepsinogen I (r = 0.76 versus 0.62). The measurement of pentagastrin-stimulated pepsin activity in sera, as a very simple and inexpensive method, permits the screening, with an overall accuracy of more than 75%, of achlorhydrics (stimulated pepsin activity less than 30 micrograms thyrosine/24 hours/ml serum), acid secretors (greater than 80 micrograms thyrosine/24 hours/ml serum) and hypersecretors (PAO greater than 35 mmol HCl/hours, greater than 120 micrograms thyrosine/24 hours/ml serum).

Partially purified white bean amylase inhibitor reduces starch digestion in vitro and inactivates intraduodenal amylase in humans

Whether commercial, bean-derived alpha-amylase inhibitor preparations failed to decrease starch digestion in humans because of insufficient antiamylase activity, destruction by gastrointestinal secretions, or decreased activity in the presence of starch is unknown. We used a simple partial purification procedure to markedly concentrate the inhibitor (sixfold to eightfold by total protein content, and 30-40-fold by dry weight). Compared with a commercial preparation and crude bean extract, this partially purified inhibitor inactivated intraduodenal, intraileal, and salivary amylase in vitro faster and more completely (p less than 0.001); its specific activity was not affected by exposure to gastric juice and was only minimally reduced by duodenal juice. Whereas the rate of amylase inhibition by inhibitor was markedly slowed in the presence of nondietary liquid starch, dietary solid starch had only a minimal effect. Consequently, the partially purified inhibitor had no effect on liquid starch digestion, but decreased in vitro digestion of dietary starch in a dose-dependent manner (p less than 0.001). Perfusion of the partially purified inhibitor (2.0, 3.5, or 5.0 mg/ml at 5 ml/min) into the duodenum of humans rapidly inhibited greater than 94%, greater than 99%, or greater than 99.9% of intraluminal amylase activity. We conclude that commercial amylase inhibitors failed to decrease starch digestion in vivo mainly because they have insufficient antiamylase activity. However, a partially purified inhibitor with increased specific activity is stable in human gastrointestinal secretions, slows dietary starch digestion in vitro, rapidly inactivates amylase in the human intestinal lumen, and, at acceptable oral doses, may decrease intraluminal digestion of starch in humans. Such an inhibitor therefore deserves study.

Enzyme assays for the identification of gastric fluid

Simple, reliable procedures for the assay of pepsin and rennin-like enzyme activities are described as a means of identifying gastric fluid-containing samples in forensic science laboratories. These samples are usually vomitus, or stomach contents originating from wounds that perforate the stomach. They may be encountered at scenes or on articles submitted for examination, in fresh form or as dried stains. The pepsin activity assay is based on proteolytic activity with bovine albumin as substrate and the rennin-like activity assay is based on the coagulation of milk protein.

Elevated gastric juice enzymes--a marker for increased gastric cancer risk?

Measurement of beta-glucuronidase and lactic dehydrogenase in the fasting gastric juice of dyspeptic patients is a useful test for gastric cancer, but about 10% of patients tested have positive results without a demonstrable carcinoma. We have compared the histological features of multiple endoscopic gastric biopsies from 17 such patients with apparently false positive enzyme tests with gastric biopsies from 17 age and sex matched patients with negative enzyme tests. Epithelial dysplasia, a precancerous lesion, was found in 3 patients with positive enzyme tests but was not found in those with negative enzyme tests. Sulphomucin-containing intestinal metaplasia, another lesion which is associated with carcinoma of the stomach, was found in 8 patients with a positive enzyme test (including all 3 with dysplasia) but in only one patient with a negative enzyme test. These findings suggest that patients with positive gastric juice enzyme tests who do not have an established carcinoma form a group who are at increased risk of developing gastric cancer in the future and who may be worthy of long-term follow-up.

[Multiple forms of horse pepsin]

Using ion-exchange and affinity chromatography and isoelectrofocusing, eight forms of pepsin with pI 1.6, 1.8, 2.1, 2.3, 2.6, 2.8, 3.2 and 3.6, were isolated from horse gastric juice. The molecular weights, amino acid composition, N-terminal sequence and functional activity of these multiple forms were determined. Partial primary structure of tryptic peptides of pepsin with pI 2.3 was investigated. The analyzed partial sequences of the forms with pI 1.8, 2.1, 2.3, and 2.6 have identical structures which differ from the amino acid sequence of pepsin with pI 3.2 by four substituents. In terms of their functional activity, horse pepsins differ only insignificantly. Presumably, the pepsins under study (at least the forms with pI 1.8, 2.1, 2.3, 2.6 and 3.2) arose comparatively recently as a result of duplication of the common precursor gene and exist at an early stage of structural and functional divergence. As far as their primary structure and functional properties are concerned, these pepsins are more related to pepsin A than to other isoenzymes of gastric aspartyl proteinases of mammalia, e. g., gastricsin or chymosin.

Ontogeny of gastric mucosal muscarinic receptor and sensitivity to carbachol

Development of the muscarinic cholinergic receptor and sensitivity of oxyntic gland mucosa to a muscarinic agonist were studied in rats of various ages. The gastric lumen of the fetal rat at the 20th day of gestation contained a statistically significant amount of basal pepsin, which increased log linearly over the first 30 days of life. Carbachol was effective in stimulating the secretion of pepsin as early as 12 h after birth. Basal acid could be measured in the gastric lumen 12 h after birth. The secretion of basal acid increased log linearly over the first 30 days of life. Carbachol was an effective secretagogue even in the fetal rat. The density of the muscarinic cholinergic receptor of the adult rat oxyntic gland mucosa was 99.3 fmol/mg protein with an apparent equilibrium dissociation constant for quinuclidinyl benzilate of 0.40 nM. The receptor was well developed even in the fetal rat, which bound 79.6 fmol/mg protein with an apparent equilibrium dissociation constant of 0.26 nM. Except for immediately after birth, receptor density was maintained between 70 and 90% of the adult level over the first 30 days of life. These results suggest that cholinergic regulation of gastric acid and pepsin secretion is probably functional by either late gestation or at least immediately after birth.

Quantification of pepsin A activity in canine and rat gastric juice with the chromogenic substrate azocoll

The activity concentration of pepsin may be quantified by using azocoll as a chromogenic substrate. The measured enzyme activity is constant between pH 1.2 and 3.4 and is proportional (r = 0.61) to the activity measured with hemoglobin as substrate. The activity of purified porcine pepsin is inhibited by pepstatin A with an apparent Ki of 115 nmol/L. The azocoll method is useful for measuring changes in pepsin secretion in response to pharmacological agents. For example, pepsin activity of canine gastric juice is decreased by 80% after in vivo administration of 0.5 mg of the synthetic trimethyl prostanoid Ro 22-6923 per kilogram of body weight. The method is sufficiently sensitive to measure the pepsin activity in 0.2 microL of canine gastric juice with a CV of approximately 10%, is simpler than the hemoglobin-substrate methods, and the substrate is commercially available.

Does casomorphin have a functional role?

Degradation of buffalo beta-casein by various physiological enzymes was studied. Digestion with gastric and pancreatic proteases plus leucine aminopeptidase did not release casomorphins but a putative precursor (procasomorphin) which was further digested by brush border peptidases into peptides differing from casomorphins.

Lingual lipase in cystic fibrosis. Quantitation of enzyme activity in the upper small intestine of patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency

We have measured the level of lingual lipase activity in gastric and duodenal aspirates of five patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and pancreatic insufficiency. Lingual lipase activity (measured in vitro by the hydrolysis of long-chain triglyceride, tri-[3H]olein, at pH 4.2 and expressed in nanomoles FFA released per milliliter aspirate per minute) and pH in gastric and duodenal aspirates were measured at 10-min intervals during a a 30-min basal period and at 15-min intervals during a 2-h period after the ingestion of a test meal. In gastric aspirates, lingual lipase activity decreased from basal levels of 200 +/- 34 nmol FFA released per milliliter per minute (similar to values reported previously in normal subjects (Hamosh M., H. L. Klaeveman, R. O. Wolf, and R. O. Scow, 1975, J. Clin. Invest., 55:908-913) to 79 +/- 15 nmol FFA/ml per min during the first postprandial hour and returned to basal levels during the second postprandial hour, (206 +/- 39 nmol FFA/ml per min). Duodenal aspirates, obtained during basal conditions, had lingual lipase activity similar to that in the stomach, 178 +/- 63 nmol FFA/ml per min. Enzyme activity levels were 56 +/- 14 and 113 +/- 29 during the first and second postprandial hours. Measurements of total lipase activity delivered to the ligament of Treitz showed that lingual lipase amounted to 91.22 +/- 4.06% of the total lipase activity in the upper small intestine during the 150-min study period. The basal and postprandial gastric pH levels in the five CF patients studied (3.2 +/- 0.44, 4.0 +/- 0.16, and 4.4 +/- 0.4 for basal and first and second postprandial hours, respectively) did not differ from previously reported values for normal subjects. The pH of duodenal aspirates was however significantly lower (P less than 0.001) in CF patients, both under basal conditions (5.0 +/- 0.26) and during the first and second postprandial hours (4.9 +/- 0.13 and 4.4 +/- 0.36, respectively), than in normal subjects. The low postprandial duodenal pH enables lingual lipase to act not only in the stomach but to continue the hydrolysis of dietary fat in the upper small intestine of CF patients. The data presented show that lingual lipase remains fully active in CF and accounts for greater than 90% of total lipase activity in the upper small intestine. We suggest that, because of low intestinal pH in CF, enzyme replacement therapy containing lingual lipase could improve fat absorption in CF patients to a greater extent than the pancreatic preparations now in use.

Amylase in the saliva and in the gastric aspirates of premature infants: its potential role in glucose polymer hydrolysis

Amylase activity was found in saliva from 13 infants, 26-42 wk corrected gestational age. The levels of salivary amylase activity increased with advancing age. In 10 infants, 31-38 wk corrected gestational age (estimated gestational age in wk plus age in wk after birth), gastric aspirates collected before a feeding and sequentially at 30-min intervals after two consecutive feedings were analyzed for amylase activity and pH. Two different postprandial patterns were obtained. For six of the 10 infants, both the pH and amylase activities of their gastric aspirates showed a distinct maxima at about 60 min after a feeding and a minima at 180 min just before the second feeding. In the remaining four infants, the pHs of their gastric aspirates remained relatively high (5.0-6.0) for the entire postprandial period. In these infants, there was a persistently high level of the amylase activity. In all 10 infants, amylase activity was found in their gastric aspirate samples when the pH was above 3.0. Comparison of the amylase in the gastric aspirate with purified pancreatic and salivary amylases by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that the amylase in the gastric aspirate has an electrophoretic mobility similar to that of salivary amylase, which suggests a salivary origin. This study supports the possibility that salivary amylase could enter the stomach and retain a significant amount of its activity in premature infants.

pH dependence of pepsinogen and acid secretion in isolated gastric glands

Rabbit isolated gastric glands were used to investigate the dependence of pepsinogen and acid secretions on extraglandular pH. Changing pH from 8.0 to 6.7 caused small increases in pepsinogen secretory responses to isoproterenol, carbachol, cholecystokinin octapeptide, Boots' secretin, and hyperosmolarity but caused large increases in responses to 8-bromoadenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (8BrcAMP), 8-bromoinosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (8BrcIMP), and forskolin. The similar effect of pH on responses to 8BrcAMP, 8BrcIMP, and forskolin was suggested to reflect a commonality in their proposed mechanisms of action. It was concluded that reducing extraglandular pH indirectly caused an increase in activity of cAMP-dependent protein kinase or of a subsequent step in cAMP-dependent regulation of pepsinogen secretion. 8BrcAMP-stimulated acid secretion also increased as pH was changed from 8.0 to 6.7, and a similar explanation of the effect was suggested. However, histamine-stimulated acid secretion and adenyl cyclase activity decreased markedly as pH was lowered over this range. It was suggested that cAMP was rate limiting for stimulation by histamine and that the effect of pH on histamine-stimulated acid secretion could be attributed to an effect of pH on adenyl cyclase activity.

Carcinoembryogenic antigen and lysosomal enzymes in gastric juice as an aid in the diagnosis of gastric cancer

Malignant transformation in cells is accompanied by enzymatic changes that may be useful markers of malignancy. Studies of oncofetal antigens in gastric juice show an increased concentration in patients with gastric carcinoma. The object of the present study was to test if the concentration of lysosomal enzymes and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were altered in patients with gastric carcinoma compared to patients earlier operated with gastric resection--a supposedly premalignant condition. The results show that no differences could be found in CEA and beta-hexosaminidase levels between the patients with gastric carcinoma and those with gastric resection. However, lysozyme content was significantly higher in gastric carcinoma and might prove useful for screening of patients after gastric resection. Both CEA, beta-hexosaminidase, and lysozyme levels were significantly higher in patients with gastric carcinoma than in a control population, and can therefore have a role in screening of asymptomatic patients.

[Spectrum of acid proteases in the gastric juice of dogs in the normal state and in experimental atophan-induced stomach ulcer]

Study of the spectrum of acid proteases of dog gastric juice secreted in response to different stimuli in health and atophan gastric ulcer has shown that gastric juice may contain up to 17 proteases as evaluated from relative electrophoretic mobility of protease fractions. In individually taken gastric juice samples, there occur 4-17 or mostly about 7-9 proteases, depending on the stimulus. During ulcer formation, the incidence pattern of proteases that are secreted in response to all the stimuli noticeably deviates from normal. However, the most demonstrable alterations occur as a result of histamine administration, manifesting in the emergence of 4 fractions undetectable in health and increased secretion of the remaining proteases. Apparently, ulcer formation is accompanied by disturbance of the mechanisms that control the secretion of proteases of gastric juice, especially after histamine administration.

Kinetic assay of human pepsin with albumin-bromphenol blue as substrate

A novel substrate, albumin complexed with bromphenol blue, has been developed for the assay of human gastric juice pepsin by a kinetic method in the Cobas centrifugal analyzer. The action of pepsin on the complex degrades the albumin and releases the dye. The change in the color of the substrate is a zero-order reaction. Human and porcine pepsin have different Km's with the new substrate. This kinetic method has a throughput of 28 tests in approximately 10 min and good precision (CV = 2.0%). Other advantages are analysis in homogeneous solution (thereby eliminating the need to separate substrate and products), lack of interference from bilirubin or phenol red, and the expression of pepsin activity in IUB enzyme units.

Sequential hydrolysis of three acyl ester bonds in triolein molecule by human gastric juice lipase

Specificity of gastric juice lipase concerning the sequential hydrolysis of three acyl ester bonds of triolein molecule has been compared with that of pancreatic lipase. The rates of the individual hydrolytic steps were calculated by applying the method based on the amounts of chromatographically separated hydrolysis products present upon the incubation of tritium-labelled triolein with a lipolytic enzyme. It was found that in the case of gastric lipase the rates of all three steps of triolein hydrolysis are similar, whereas in the case of pancreatic lipase the last step proceeds at a much slower rate than the preceding ones.

Purification and properties of an acid lipase from human gastric juice

An acid lipase (EC 3.1.1.3) from human gastric juice was purified by using poly(ethylene glycol)-6000 precipitation, ethanol fractionation and Sephadex G-75 gel filtration. A molecular weight of 44000 was obtained by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. pH-dependent aggregation was observed and by using Sephadex G-200 gel filtration, a molecular weight of 90000 was obtained at pH 6.0 and 45000 at pH 3.0, for the purified enzyme. A pH optimum of 5.3 was obtained using triolein as substrate. The apparent Km for tributyrin and triolein was found to be 21 and 73 mumol, respectively. Diacylglycerol and free fatty acids were the major hydrolytic end products of this enzyme. Studies on the positional specificity of the enzyme showed that the preferred site of hydrolysis was sn-3 and sn-1, although a good percentage of the sn-2 position was also hydrolysed. Conjugated bile salts inhibited the enzyme when triolein was used as substrate, whereas they activated it when tributyrin was used. Some of the properties of the purified human gastric juice acid lipase resembles those of rat and human lingual lipase.