Effect of extragastric and truncal vagotomy on pancreatic secretion in the dog

In four dogs with chronic pancreatic and gastric fistulas, dose-response studies of pancreatic bicarbonate and protein secretion were done with intravenous infusions of secretin, octapeptide of cholecystokinin (OP-CCK), and 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG). The pancreatic response to a meal and to duodenal perfusion of graded concentrations of HCl, sodium oleate, and tryptophan were also studied. These observations were repeated after division of both the hepatic and celiac vagal branches to produce extragastric vagotomy, and subsequently after transthoracic truncal vagotomy. The responses to secretin, OP-CCK, and to duodenal perfusion of HCl were either unaltered or only slightly decreased by either extragastric or truncal vagotomy. Basal pancreatic secretion and the responses to duodenal perfusion of oleate and tryptophan were markedly depressed by extragastric vagotomy. These findings indicate that tonic vagal activity contributes to basal pancreatic secretion but has little effect on the response of the pancreas to secretin or CCK or on the release of secretin from the intestine. The decreased pancreatic response to intestinally perfused oleate and tryptophan seen after extragastric vagotomy could be caused either by interruption of reflex paths between gut and pancreas or by interference with CCK release. Extragastric vagotomy reduced pancreatic responses to a meal and to 2-DG and subsequent truncal vagotomy caused still further reduction, possibly, at least in part, by depressing release of antral gastrin.