The influence of elimination of pancreatic exocrine function on glycoregulation and intestinal absorption in dogs
Sadowski, J.
Acta Medica Polona 14(3): 185-204
1973
ISSN/ISBN: 0001-608X PMID: 4745998 Document Number: 61027
Animals were 13 dogs of bodyweight 12 to 16 kg which for an experimental period of 3 months were fed on a diet providing daily 60 kcal/kg bodyweight to which protein, fats and carbohydrates contributed 19, 13 and 68%. Three of the dogs were left intact while the left lobe of the pancreas of the rest, constituting about one half to two-fifths of the whole pancreas, was ligated and left in situ; the right lobe, adjacent to the duodenum, was removed to prevent recanalisation of the pancreatic ducts. Glucose and D-xylose oral tolerance tests were made on the dogs before operation and 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 weeks after; protein and N balance was studied at the same periods. Pancreas and small intestine were sampled during the operation and at the end of the study for histochemical enzyme estimation.The operated dogs had occasional diarrhoea and their bodyweights dropped to 35% of the initial at 12 weeks after operation. Fasting blood glucose was 68.8 mg/100 ml before operation; on day 3 after it was 102.3 mg/100 ml. One week after operation blood glucose rose significantly higher after glucose load than was the case before operation; after 6 to 12 weeks blood glucose curve approached the normal. Serum insulin curves fell significantly below those obtained before operation; by 12 weeks serum insulin rose remarkably but was still only one-half of the initial value. Before operation serum D-xylose peaked at 60 min after xylose load; 6 and 12 weeks after operation the curve of xylose flattened with the maximum concentration 43% below the preoperation value. Urine contained no sugar throughout the experiments, although faeces under light microscope showed undigested muscle fibres, starch granules and fats, indicating progressive drop in absorption of proteins, fats and starch. N balance was +0.55 g before operation, -1.43 and -1.57 g after 6 and 12 weeks. The corresponding values estimated in the control dogs did not fluctuate significantly throughout the periods. Ligation of the pancreas caused atrophy and fibrosis of the exocrine part of the gland but spared the islets of Langerhans. Groups of acinar cells exhibiting enzyme activity typical of biologically active cells were observed throughout the altered pancreas. The impaired intestinal absorption was due partly to deficient digestion and partly to impaired function of intestinal epithelial cells responsible for transport across the intestinal wall.