Secretion of Immunoreactive Gastrin from the Isolated, Perfused Canine Pancreas

Abstract

The concentration of IRGa was measured in the perfusate from eleven perfusions of the isolated canine pancreas. In nine perfusions the concentration of IRGa was measurable, the basal level being 7 ± 1 pmol/1 (14 ± 2 pg eqv. SHG/ml, mean ± SEM). During perfusions with arginine hydrochloride and acetylcholine for periods of 10 minutes, IRGa concentrations in the perfusion medium rose respectively to concentrations 4.5 and 7 pmol/1 (9 and 15 pg eqv. SHG/ml, mean of peak concentration) above the basal level. Infusion of atropine in two experiments in a concentration of 25 µmol/l lowered IRGa concentrations from 5.5 ± 0.2 to 4.6 ± 0.4 and from 8.4 ± 0.4 to 5.0 ± 0.3 pmol/l (mean ± SEM, p < 0.005 in both experiments). Atropine in the dose used in the present study could, however, not prevent acetylcholine in a dose of 10 µmol/l for 10 minutes from stimulating IRGa release. Alteration of glucose concentrations in the perfusion medium from 1.4 to 8.3 and later to 16.7 mmol/l was without effect on IRGa concentrations. Neither did epinephrine in a concentration of 10 nmol/l stimulate IRGa secretion. The results indicate that immunoreactive gastrin is present and may be released from the canine pancreas in response to cholinergic and aminogenic stimuli.

Immunoreactive gastrin: IRGa
Synthetic human gastrin I (1-17): SHG
Porcine cholecystokinin: CCK

Key words

Isolated Pancreas - Gastrin