Pancreatic trophism in experimental liver cirrhosis

Pancreatic trophism and pancreatic enzyme composition, and plasma levels of cholecystokinin, insulin, glucagon, and glucose in liver cirrhosis induced by chronic thioacetamide administration (0.02% in the drinking water for 12 mo) were studied in rats. Advanced liver cirrhosis was evident in all thioacetamide-treated rats. The weight of the pancreas and its contents of DNA, protein, trypsinogen, chymotrypsinogen, proelastase, secretory trypsin inhibitor, and amylase were significantly increased as compared to the controls. The pancreatic secretory enzyme content changes showed a nonparallelism, characteristic of a cholecystokinin effect. Light and electron microscopy revealed a normal pancreatic architecture. Bioassayed plasma cholecystokinin levels in both fed and 24-h-fasted cirrhotic rats were significantly higher than in the corresponding controls. The plasma glucose, insulin, and glucagon levels demonstrated hypoglycemic tendencies with a glucagon predominance. These findings indicate that advanced liver cirrhosis in the rat is accompanied by pancreatic hypertrophy and hyperplasia, which might be attributed, at least in part, to elevated circulating cholecystokinin levels.