Adaptive increase in peptide YY and enteroglucagon after proctocolectomy and pelvic ileal reservoir construction

Functional results improve with time after proctocolectomy and pelvic ileal reservoir construction. We hypothesized that adaptive increases of circulating and tissue levels of the gut hormones peptide YY (PYY) and enteroglucagon may contribute to this improvement by slowing small bowel transit and increasing small bowel absorption. The specific aim of this study was to measure plasma and ileal mucosal concentrations of PYY and enteroglucagon in dogs 1 year after proctocolectomy and ileal reservoir-anal anastomosis. In the ileal reservoir dogs, postprandial PYY levels reached 238 +/- 31 pmol/liter compared with 93 +/- 33 pmol/liter in sham operated controls (P less than 0.001). Postprandial plasma enteroglucagon levels reached 199 +/- 53 pmol/liter in reservoir animals and 52 +/- 4 pmol/liter in controls (P less than 0.05). Tissue levels of PYY in the mucosa of the ileal reservoirs were 419 +/- 43 pmol/g compared with 133 +/- 23 pmol/g in normal terminal ileum (P less than 0.0001). Enteroglucagon levels were also elevated in reservoir mucosa (193 +/- 21 pmol/g vs. 113 +/- 9 pmol/g in controls, P less than 0.05). These data demonstrate that postprandial and tissue levels of PYY and enteroglucagon increase in dogs 1 year after construction of ileal reservoirs. The adaptive increase in PYY would slow small bowel transit and the increase in enteroglucagon would promote mucosal growth, each contributing to the improved functional results.