Effect of gastrin on pancreatic enzyme secretion and gallbladder emptying in man

This study was designed to assess the effect of unsulfated synthetic human little gastrin (HG-17-I) on pancreatic secretion and gallbladder emptying in man. During continuous gastric and duodenal aspiration, 6 male subjects were given, on different days, either HG-17-I (7, 20, 60, 180 AND 540 PMOL KG-1 HR-1), chlecystokinin (0.1, 0.3, and 0.9 UKg hr-1) or 238 pmol kg-1 (500 ng kg-1) of HG-17-I as a rapid intravenous injection. Trypsin output and bilirubin output increased significantly (P less than 0.05) above basal levels during the infusion of both peptides. During HG-17-I infusion the highest trypsin output (2.08 +/- 0.22 Karmen U per 10 min) and bilirubin output (4.66 +/- 0.61 mg per 10 min) occurred during the 60 pmol kg-1 hr-1 dose, whereas highest acid output occurred during the 540 pmol kg-1 hr-1 dose. Rapid intravenous injection of HG-17-I produced a prompt and significant rise in trypsin, bilirubin, bicarbonate, and acid outputs. It is concluded that HG-17-I produced significant pancreatic enzyme secretion and gallbladder emptying at doses that are submaximal for acid secretion, suggesting that this may be a physiological effect of gastrin.