Gastric intrinsic factor hypersecretion stimulated by pentagastrin in cystic fibrosis

The gastric pentagastrin-stimulated secretions of acid (peak acid output) and of unsaturated intrinsic factor in eight cystic fibrosis patients (1.4 +/- 0.5 mEq/kg/h and 0.27 +/- 0.12 nmol/kg/h, respectively) were significantly enhanced (p less than 0.05) when compared with six normal controls (0.27 +/- 0.16 mEq/kg/h and 0.10 +/- 0.02 nmol/kg/h, respectively). Despite the gastric hypersecretion of intrinsic factor, no significant physicochemical modification of this glycoprotein was observed in cystic fibrosis when using gel filtration and isoelectrofocusing. Haptocorrin (a cobalamin glycoproteic binder that does not promote the assimilation of cobalamin) also increased in gastric juice after stimulation. Since the sequestration of cobalamin to haptocorrin is pH dependent, the gastric acid hypersecretion observed in cystic fibrosis may explain that the malabsorption of crystalline cobalamin is much more frequent in cystic fibrosis than in chronic pancreatitis.