Enhancement of pancreatic enzyme synthesis by pancreozymin

Abstract

These experiments were designed to ascertain whether pancreozymin would affect synthesis as well as secretion of exportable pancreatic enzymes. Pancreozymin (20 U/kg), secretin (20 U/kg) or methacholine (5 mg/kg) were injected subcutaneously 3 times a day for 4 days. The rats were fasted and killed 16 hr. after the last injection. Pancreozymin, but not secretin or methacholine, caused a significant increase in pancreas weight attributable to hypertrophy of pancreatic acinar cells. In the enlarged pancreas, tissue concentrations of trypsinogen, chymotrypsinogen, and amylase were significantly increased. The change in enzyme concentrations was "nonparallel," for the increase in chymotrypsinogen and amylase was more marked than that of trypsinogen. The data indicate that pancreozymin enhances the synthesis of 3 exportable pancreatic enzymes.