Plasma pancreatic trypsinogens in chronic renal failure and after nephrectomy

The kidney has previously been shown to be a major site for the plasma clearance of pancreatic trypsinogens in the rat. This study investigated plasma concentrations of anionic and cationic trypsinogen in chronic renal failure and anephric patients. Plasma concentrations were significantly elevated in both groups of patients. Hemodialysis did not change their plasma levels. The plasma levels of anionic and cationic trypsinogens were highly correlated in patients and normal subjects; however, the relative concentrations of anionic trypsinogen were significantly higher in renal failure patients. This suggests that in patients with renal failure the secondary clearance mechanisms for these plasma proteins more efficiently clear cationic molecules. In normal dogs, intravenous infusion of synthetic octapeptide of cholecystokinin (CCK-8) resulted in small transitory increases in plasma trypsinogen levels. After nephrectomy, basal levels of anionic and cationic trypsinogen were elevated, and intravenous infusion of CCK-8 resulted in prolonged, high levels of plasma trypsinogens.