Circulating glucagon after total pancreatectomy in man

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Gastroenterology
• Metabolic Research

Background:

• Glucagon is a key hormone regulating blood glucose.
• The intestine's role in producing various glucagon forms is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the secretion and molecular forms of gut-derived glucagons in humans after a meal.
• To determine if the intestine can generate all plasma glucagon forms.

Main Methods:

• Studied five totally pancreatectomized human subjects.
• Stimulated glucagon secretion with a high-fat, high-carbohydrate meal.
• Measured plasma glucagon-like immunoreactivity using two different antisera (6-15 sequence and C-terminal sequence).
• Analyzed immunoreactivity profiles via affinity chromatography.

Main Results:

• A meal stimulated a fivefold increase in glucagon-like immunoreactivity (6-15 sequence).
• C-terminal immunoreactivity showed a transient increase.
• Chromatography revealed two distinct glucagon-like immunoreactivity peaks in both assays, one corresponding to glucagon 1-29.
• These molecular forms were also present in normal subjects' plasma.

Conclusions:

• The human intestine is capable of producing all molecular forms of glucagon found in plasma.
• Gut-derived glucagons play a significant role in postprandial glucose regulation.