Long-term effect of growth promoting conditions on the exocrine pancreas of rats

Pancreatic adaptation following prolonged exposition to growth promoting conditions (protease inhibitor feeding, B II subtotal gastrectomy, subtotal colectomy) was studied in rats. Fifty male Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups: controls (n = 10), sham-operated (n = 10), low dose protease inhibitor feeding (n = 10), B II subtotal gastrectomy (n = 10), and subtotal colectomy (n = 10). After 4 mo a significant increase in pancreatic wet wt and DNA content was observed in rats after protease inhibitor feeding (p less than 0.01), B II gastrectomy (p less than 0.01), and subtotal colectomy (p less than 0.05). Pancreatic total protein and lipase content were significantly increased in these three groups. Amylase and trypsin content increased after feeding the protease inhibitor (p less than 0.01) and following B II subtotal resection (p less than 0.01) but were unaffected after subtotal colectomy. Comparing the long-term effects (4 mo) with our previously published short-term data (4 wk) under the same experimental conditions, pancreatic trophism after 4 mo is less pronounced but characterized by a change in the enzyme composition with an increase in pancreatic lipase content.