Pancreatic trophism after truncal vagotomy in rats

Thirty-two rats had truncal vagotomy either with or without pyloroplasty. After 2 or 4 weeks, respectively, the pancreas was excised and weighed. Measurements of amylase, trypsin, lipase, total protein, and DNA were obtained from the homogenated pancreatic tissue. Isolated pancreatic lobules were incubated with and without ceruletide (5 X 10(-10) g/ml) during a 60 minute period. Amylase values were determined four times in the incubation medium. Morphometry was performed by light microscopy analysis. There was a significant increase in pancreatic weight, DNA content, and trypsin concentration 2 weeks after vagotomy with and without pyloroplasty. These changes were accelerated after 4 weeks. DNA, amylase, and total protein concentrations were unchanged. Lipase concentration decreased 2 weeks after vagotomy and pyloroplasty, whereas at 4 weeks, it decreased in both experimental groups. The in vitro incubation study revealed a significantly decreased amylase discharge under basal conditions, whereas the stimulated amylase discharge was unchanged in both experimental groups compared with the control group. Morphometry did not detect differences in exocrine cellular size. We conclude that vagotomy in rats induces pancreatic hyperplasia, enzyme dissociation, and decreased basal amylase discharge in vitro.