Studies on gastrin: Part I A method of biological assay of gastrin

Abstract

These three papers present studies on gastrin. The first paper describes a method of biological assay using the rat. The second paper demonstrates that the highest concentration of gastrin-like activity occurs in the antral mucosa, with a clear gradient of concentration of activity down the gut. However, it is to be noted that the total amount of extractable activity is greatest in the duodenum, although the concentration there is less than in the antrum. No activity was detected in the pancreas. The third paper studies the contents of gastrin-like activity in patients with duodenal ulcer and demonstrates higher figures when stenosis is present. Patients with benign gastric ulcer and carcinomata showed results equal to or greater than in those with the average uncomplicated duodenal ulcer. It was noted that two patients with dilated antra both had very low total gastrin-like activity. There was no correlation between total activity and maximal histamine-stimulated output of acid. There was, however, a positive correlation between the insulin-stimulated acid secretion and the total gastrin-like activity in the cases of uncomplicated duodenal ulcers. The clinical studies are still tentative in view of the several variables present, but it seems likely that they will in due course clarify the role of gastrin in the ulcer problem.