Irmtraut Koop

Interaction of the cholinergic system and cholecystokinin in the regulation of endogenous and exogenous stimulation of pancreatic secretion in humans

Pancreatic enzyme secretion is regulated in humans by the cholinergic system and by cholecystokinin (CCK). The interaction between both regulatory systems in response to exogenous and endogenous stimulation was analyzed in the present study using the cholinergic antagonist atropine and the CCK antagonist loxiglumide. A dose-dependent stimulation of pancreatic enzyme output was achieved either by duodenal perfusion of graded caloric loads or by IV infusion of increasing doses of cerulein. Prestimulated pancreatic secretion was inhibited by atropine and loxiglumide. Atropine furthermore almost completely blocked meal-stimulated pancreatic secretion, whereas loxiglumide caused 60% inhibition. The enzyme response to graded doses of exogenous CCK was significantly inhibited by atropine and loxiglumide. Plasma levels of CCK were not altered by atropine but increased with infusion of loxiglumide. This study supports the concept that pancreatic enzyme secretion is predominantly dependent on a cholinergic tone and that CCK modulates the enzyme-secretory response.

Endogenous CCK release and pancreatic growth in rats after feeding a proteinase inhibitor (camostate)

The serine proteinase inhibitor camostate was fed to rats in single, daily doses of 100 mg/kg, 200 mglkg, and 400 mg/kg for 5, 10, or 15 days. Within 5 days, pancreatic size and protein, DNA, and enzyme content increased significantly. After prolonged administration, this trophic effect was more pronounced, and anticoordinate regulation of the synthetic rate of individual secretory proteins was observed. While enzyme content and protein synthesis of trypsinogen and chymotrypsinogen were increased, respective values for amylase were drastically reduced. Plasma levels of cholecystokinin (CCK) did not differ from controls when measured 24 h after administration of camostate. Immediately after oral feeding of camostate, CCK levels increased 10-fold above controls, reached a maximum after 90 min, and remained elevated for more than 6 h. Proglumide, a CCK-receptor antagonist, only slightly reduced the trophic action of the proteinase inhibitor. The data indicate that endogenous CCK release by a proteinase inhibitor is as potent in the modulation of pancreatic growth and individual enzyme synthesis as exogenous hormone application.

Effect of somatostatin analogue (SMS 201-995, Sandostatin) on pancreatic secretion in humans.

The effect of the long-acting somatostatin analogue SMS 201-995 on exocrine pancreatic function and hormone release was investigated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study in healthy subjects. SMS 201-995 was administered subcutaneously at a dose of 25 micrograms twice daily, and all tests were performed 30 minutes after the morning injection. Pancreatic enzyme secretion, gall bladder contraction, and cholecystokinin response after a Lundh meal were completely inhibited by SMS, while pancreatic enzyme secretion elicited by intravenous injection of secretin and pancreozymin was suppressed by 80 percent. The inhibitory effect of SMS on endogenous cholecystokinin release was fully operative on the sixth day of injection treatment, whereas the inhibitory effect on exogenous cholecystokinin injection significantly decreased after SMS administration for seven days, indicating desensitization of the end organ by somatostatin. The release of pancreatic polypeptide by a solid test meal is abolished by administration of 25 micrograms of SMS, the release of gastric inhibitory polypeptide is nearly completely suppressed, the response of insulin and C-peptide are significantly lowered, and the gastrin response is only slightly reduced.

Stimulation of pancreatic secretion in man by a protease inhibitor (camostate)

Abstract. Pancreatic secretion and plasma cholecystokinin (CCK) and secretin levels were measured in 10 healthy volunteers after application of a serine protease inhibitor (camostate) to study the mechanism of feedback regulation. Camostate produced a strong inhibition of trypsin and chymotrypsin activity in duodenal juice for 1 h. This was accompanied by an increase in duodenal aspirate volume and pancreatic enzyme secretion under both basal and secretin‐stimulated conditions. Due to inhibition of tryptic activity, survival of lipase activity in duodenal juice was prolonged. In control experiments we ruled out that the volume and the pH of the solution were responsible for stimulation of pancreatic secretion. The protease inhibitor did not alter pancreatic secretion, which was stimulated by a test meal. Plasma levels of CCK and secretin were not changed after duodenal perfusion of camostate. These observations suggest that trypsin and chymotrypsin are involved in feedback regulation of pancreatic secretion in man which is, however, not mediated by CCK or secretin.

Effect of cholestyramine on plasma cholecystokinin and pancreatic polypeptide levels, and exocrine pancreatic secretion

Abstract The effect of acute and long‐term administration of cholestyramine, a non‐absorbable bile salt binding resin, on exocrine pancreatic secretion, plasma‐cholecystokinin (CCK) and plasma‐pancreatic polypeptide (PP) was investigated in 10 healthy volunteers. Oral ingestion of 12 g cholestyramine augmented the stimulatory effect of a liquid test meal on plasma‐CCK (3·5‐fold) and plasma‐PP (2‐fold). During prolonged treatment with 3 times 12 g cholestyramine daily for 4 weeks, the most pronounced increase in basal hormone levels was observed after 1 day, but progressively decreased during treatment and had normalized after 4 weeks. However, the stimulated plasma‐CCK output was still significantly elevated after cessation of treatment, compared with pretreatment values. After acute and chronic cholestyramine administration only stimulated lipase secretion was elevated, whereas trypsin and amylase remained unchanged. It is suggested that removal of bile salts enhances CCK and thereby PP release and pancreatic lipase secretion.

Do Bile Acids Exert a Negative Feedback Control of Cholecystokinin Release

The influence of intraduodenal bile deficiency due to chronic bile duct obstruction and acute exogenous administration of bile acids on plasma cholecystokinin (CCK) and pancreatic polypeptide (PP) was investigated. Fourteen patients with tumor-induced bile duct stenosis and five healthy volunteers were given a liquid test meal. Four of the patients had a simultaneous pancreatic duct stenosis. On another day 4 g chenodeoxycholic acid were administered concomitantly with the liquid test meal in six of the patients and all controls. Basal and meal-stimulated plasma CCK did not differ between patients and controls. A pancreatic duct stenosis, which was associated with diminished plasma PP concentrations, had no influence on plasma CCK release. Exogenous bile acids significantly reduced the postprandial CCK response in both groups. Bile-induced inhibition was significantly greater in patients than in controls (75 +/- 7% and 44 +/- 11%, respectively; p less than 0.05). It is concluded that intraduodenal bile is an important modulator of the postprandial secretory activity of the CCK cell. Although chronic intraduodenal bile acid reduction in tumor-induced biliary duct stenosis did not influence plasma CCK levels, a negative feedback control of plasma CCK by acute bile acid administration could be demonstrated.

Plasma CCK Levels in Patients with Pancreatic Insufficiency

After stimulation with a Lundh test meal, plasma concentrations of cholecystokinin (CCK) and pancreatic polypeptide (PP) and output of pancreatic enzymes were measured in 33 patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and 26 healthy subjects. Patients with impairment of pancreatic function were subdivided into those with moderate and severe insufficiency. Plasma CCK and PP were measured by radioimmunoassay. Fasting plasma CCK in patients with pancreatic insufficiency (5.8±1.1 pmol/liter) did not differ significantly from controls (4.2±0.6 pmol/liter). After endogenous stimulation with a Lundh meal, plasma CCK increased in both groups without significant differences over 2 hr. Basal and stimulated plasma levels of pancreatic polypeptide (PP) were markedly decreased only in patients with severe pancreatic insufficiency. Our results demonstrate that basal and meal-stimulated CCK levels in patients with pancreatic insufficiency do not differ from controls. Furthermore the extent of functional impairment of the exocrine pancreas did not influence basal and postprandial CCK release.

Dissociation of cholecystokinin and pancreaticobiliary response to intraduodenal bile acids and cholestyramine in humans

The role of intraduodenal bile acids in the regulation of cholecystokinin (CCK), pancreatic polypeptide (PP), and secretin as well as exocrine pancreatic and biliary secretion was investigated by means of a duodenal marker perfusion technique in volunteers. The following solutions were perfused: (1) liquid test meal, (2) test meal with 6 g cholestyramine, (3) test meal with 2 g chenodeoxycholic acid (CDC), (4) test meal with 6 g cholestyramine and 2 g CDC, (5) 6 g cholestyramine alone, and (6) 2 g CDC alone. The test meal caused an immediate increase in CCK and PP plasma levels, whereas secretin was not significantly altered. CCK release was further enhanced by addition of cholestyramine, whereas CDC inhibited release. The stimulatory effect of cholestyramine was abolished by CDC. CDC alone and in combination with the test meal stimulated secretin release. The response of PP to the test meal was not altered by addition of either compound. Cholestyramine and CDC alone caused only a very small increase in CCK levels, whereas PP was stimulated to nearly postprandial values. Meal-stimulated pancreatic and biliary secretion was significantly enhanced by cholestyramine, CDC, and the combination of both. CDC and cholestyramine alone each stimulated enzyme and bile secretion to a greater extent than the test meal. We conclude that intraduodenal bile salts are a modulator of postprandial CCK release. Changes in exocrine pancreatic and biliary and PP secretion do not necessarily parallel CCK concentrations, suggesting that different mediators are involved in the observed bile acid-induced changes in humans.

Exocrine pancreatic function in oleic acid induced pancreatic insufficiency in rats

Pancreatic insufficiency was induced in rats by a single injection of 50 μl oleic acid into the pancreatic duct over a period of 3 min. Exocrine tissue was destroyed within 3–6 days, and after 6 weeks the remaining pancreas equaled 2.7% of the original organ. The rats showed retardation of body weight in spite of normal food intake. After 7 weeks the fecal weight increased by 23%, and the fecal chymotrypsin activity decreased by 90% compared to controls. At this time plasma cholecystokinin (CCK) concentrations were significantly elevated. The amylase content in the remaining pancreas was reduced by 99%, and trypsin content was reduced by 93%. Unstimulated protein discharge from the remnant pancreas in vitro was threefold higher compared to secretion from control tissue. Thus a simple, reproducible model for inducing persistent pancreatic insufficiency was developed. To compensate for the loss of exocrine tissue, the remaining acinar cells adapt by a CCK-mediated increase in protein secretion.

Comparison of the Effect of Single and Repeated Administrations of a Protease Inhibitor (Camostate) on Pancreatic Secretion in Man

In the present study pancreatic secretion and plasma cholecystokinin (CCK) levels were analyzed in eight volunteers after daily ingestion of the serine protease inhibitor camostate for 5 days. This was compared with the effect of a single intraduodenal dose of camostate. Prolonged administration of camostate for 5 days had no effect on basal and stimulated pancreatic secretion and plasma CCK. A single dose of camostate completely inhibited enzymatic activity of trypsin and chymotrypsin and stimulated volume, amylase, and lipase secretion but induced an only slight and insignificant increase in plasma CCK. After the ingestion of a test meal, camostate did not influence stimulated enzyme secretion and increased plasma CCK. We concluded that the intraduodenal perfusion of camostate stimulated pancreatic secretion by a feedback mechanism that is not mediated by CCK. The repeated oral administration of camostate did not induce adaptive changes in pancreatic secretion.