Non-digestive functions of the intestinal hormones (enterines). New data and hypotheses based on experimental...

In cats and dogs, total duodenectomy with transplantation of the papilla Vateri into the jejunum and gastroenteroanastomosis has been shown to result in the so-called "duodenal deficiency syndrome" which is characterized, in the first phase, by cachexia of the animals occurring within 6 weeks after operation followed by obesity in the second phase. In contrast, animals with preserved by isolated duodenum do not exhibit pronounced changes in body weight as compared to intact controls. Consequently, it is suggested that intestinal hormones (enterines) not only exert gastrointestinal effects but also systemic ones. Thus, duodenectomy has been shown to lead to disturbances of lipid and protein metabolism, decreased secretory activities of the thyroid gland and the hypothalamus. Due to these findings, -- in addition to the even well-known intestinal hormones -- the existence of enterines with thyrotropic, lipotropic, hypothalamotropic, and appetite-regulating functions can be assumed which may make the duodenum act as an "abdominal hypophysis".