Gastrin and glucagon responses to extensive distal small bowel resection: an experimental study in dogs

The objectives of the present work were to study the role (and possible sources) of gastrin and glucagon, as measured by radioimmunoassay techniques, in the acute response to massive bowel resection in dogs. Four acute experimental models were designed for this purpose. Circulating portal and arterial hormone concentrations were estimated under basal conditions and after administration of an intraduodenal fat stimulus. Stimulated portal gastrin levels were significantly higher in animals with bowel resections than in intact animals (p less than 0.05 to p less than 0.01) but the depletion of N-terminal glucagon-like (GLI) reactivity or total GLI was only transiently significant (p less than 0.05). Pancreatectomy, with or without resection, resulted in depletion of circulating N-terminal and C-terminal GLI, although not to zero values, suggesting extra-pancreatic sources of the GLI. Portal-arterial differences were noted for GLI but not for gastrin.