Baseline characteristics and comorbidities in the CAnadian REgistry for Pulmonary Fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: The CAnadian REgistry for Pulmonary Fibrosis (CARE-PF) is a multi-center, prospective registry designed to study the natural history of fibrotic interstitial lung disease (ILD) in adults. The aim of this cross-sectional sub-study was to describe the baseline characteristics, risk factors, and comorbidities of patients enrolled in CARE-PF to date. METHODS: Patients completed study questionnaires and clinical measurements at enrollment and each follow-up visit. Environmental exposures were assessed by patient self-report and comorbidities by the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). Baseline characteristics, exposures, and comorbidities were described for the overall study population and for incident cases, and were compared across ILD subtypes. RESULTS: The full cohort included 1285 patients with ILD (961 incident cases (74.8%)). Diagnoses included connective tissue disease-associated ILD (33.3%), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) (24.7%), unclassifiable ILD (22.3%), chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) (7.5%), sarcoidosis (3.2%), non-IPF idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (3.0%, including idiopathic nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) in 0.9%), and other ILDs (6.0%). Patient-reported exposures were most frequent amongst chronic HP, but common across all ILD subtypes. The CCI was ≤2 in 81% of patients, with a narrow distribution and range of values. CONCLUSIONS: CTD-ILD, IPF, and unclassifiable ILD made up 80% of ILD diagnoses at ILD referral centers in Canada, while idiopathic NSIP was rare when adhering to recommended diagnostic criteria. CCI had a very narrow distribution across our cohort suggesting it may be a poor discriminator in assessing the impact of comorbidities on patients with ILD.

Epicormic ontogeny in Quercus petraea constrains the highly plausible control of epicormic sprouting by water and carbohydrates.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: There is increasing evidence that suppressed bud burst and thus epicormic shoot emergence (sprouting) are controlled by water-carbohydrate supplies to entire trees and buds. This direct evidence is still lacking for oak. In other respects, recent studies focused on sessile oak, Quercus petraea, have confirmed the important constraints of sprouting by epicormic ontogeny. The main objective of this paper was thus to provide provisional confirmation of the water-carbohydrate control and direct evidence of the ontogenic constraints by bringing together results already published in separate studies on water status and distribution of carbohydrates, and on accompanying vegetation and epicormics, which also quantify epicormic ontogeny. METHODS: This paper analyses results gained from a sessile oak experiment in which part of the site was free from fairly tall, dense accompanying vegetation. This experiment was initially focused on stand water status and more recently on the carbohydrate distribution of dominant trees. External observations of the epicormic composition and internal observations with X-ray computer tomography were undertaken on 60 and six trees, respectively. KEY RESULTS: Sprouting was more intense in the part of the stand free from accompanying vegetation and on upper trunk segments. A clear effect of epicormic ontogeny was demonstrated as well: the more epicormics a trunk segment bears, the more chances it had to bear sprouts. CONCLUSIONS: These results indirectly infer water-carbohydrate control and show direct evidence of constraints by epicormic ontogeny. These results have far-reaching consequences related to the quantification of all functions fulfilled by any type of epicormic structure in any part of the tree.

Sodium-butyrate as a growth promoter in milk replacer formula for young calves.

In milk-fed calves, the effects of sodium-butyrate (Na-butyrate) to replace flavomycin on growth performance and some mechanisms involved were studied. Pancreatic and intestinal morphology, digestive enzyme activities, plasma gut regulatory peptide concentrations, and expression of their receptors in the gastrointestinal tract were measured. Gastrointestinal tract defense systems were examined by measuring protein levels of 2 heat-shock proteins (HSP27 and HSP70). The calves were randomly allocated into 2 groups fed the same basic diet with flavomycin as an antimicrobial growth promoter or with Na-butyrate (3 g/kg of dry matter). Sodium-butyrate disappeared quickly in the upper gut and was not found in circulating blood. Supplementation with Na-butyrate enhanced growth rate and improved feed conversion into body weight gain compared with the flavomycin group. Supplementation with Na-butyrate was likely associated with an improvement in efficacy of the gastrointestinal tract digestive capacities expressed by enhanced production of digestive enzymes and increased absorptive capacities in the upper small intestine. The effects could have been controlled by insulin-like growth factor-1 but probably not by any of the cholecystokinin/gastrin peptide family. Concentrations of HSP27 and HSP70 were increased in stomach and colon of calves receiving Na-butyrate, thereby assuring protection of cells with intensive metabolism (chaperone function). In conclusion, beneficial effects of Na-butyrate on maturation of gastrointestinal functions were shown in milk-fed calves and may be applied to young mammals of other species.

Burden, resilience and coping in caregivers of patients with interstitial lung disease.

RATIONALE: Prior work has described the experience of caregiving in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, but the effect on caregivers in interstitial lung disease (ILD) has not been explored. OBJECTIVES: Describe the burden, resilience, and health related quality of life (HRQoL) of caregivers of people with ILD. METHODS: In a mixed methods study, ILD caregivers completed questionnaires and participated in focus groups. A qualitative thematic analysis of the focus group transcripts was conducted. RESULTS: Thirty seven caregivers completed the survey, and 15 participated in the focus groups. 65% were female; the average age was 66 (SD = 13). The mean Short Form-36 role emotional and mental health scores were 18 (SD = 4) and 46 (SD = 7). The focus groups identified 4 major themes: emotional burden, changes in relationship, coping strategies, and unmet needs of caregivers. CONCLUSIONS: Caregiving for patients with ILD significantly impairs HRQoL, particularly, emotional health. Increasing resources could improve the caregiving experience in ILD.

Effects of fasting and feeding on protein synthesis by the rat pancreas.

These experiments were designed to determine whether fasting and feeding were associated with differing rates of protein synthesis in the rat pancreas. It has been established that feeding, acetylcholine, or cholecystokinin-pancreozymin administration was associated with enhanced rates of digestive enzyme secretion; however, the literature is unclear as to effects of such stimulation on enzyme synthesis. Rats fed ad lib. or fasted 24, 48, or 72 hr were used for this study. Pancreases were removed and incubated in tissue culture medium with l-phenylalanine-(14)C, and incorporation into TCA-insoluble material as well as purified amylase was measured. Compared with fed controls, fasting 24, 48, and 72 hr was associated with 29%, 39%, and 35% decreases in incorporation of l-phenylalanine-(14)C into protein. Decreases of similar magnitudes were apparent whether the data were expressed in terms of protein or DNA. Pancreatic amylase isolated from rats fasted 48 hr contained 57% fewer counts of l-phenylalanine-(14)C than amylase isolated from fed rats. Moreover, rats fasted for 24 hr and given bethanechol chloride incorporated greater amounts of l-phenylalanine-(14)C into protein than fasted controls. Studies were performed to exclude changes in pool size of precursor (l-phenylalanine-(14)C) or product (amylase) in accounting for decreases associated with fasting. These studies demonstrate that fasting was associated with decreased rates of pancreatic amylase and protein synthesis in rats.

Gastrin, cholecystokinin and gastrointestinal tract functions in mammals.

The aim of the present review is to synthesise and summarise our recent knowledge on the involvement of cholecystokinin (CCK) and gastrin peptides and their receptors in the control of digestive functions and more generally their role in the field of nutrition in mammals. First, we examined the release of these peptides from the gut, focusing on their molecular forms, the factors regulating their release and the signalling pathways mediating their effects. Second, general physiological effects of CCK and gastrin peptides are described with regard to their specific receptors and the role of CCK on vagal mucosal afferent nerve activities. Local effects of CCK and gastrin in the gut are also reported, including gut development, gastrointestinal motility and control of pancreatic functions through vagal afferent pathways, including NO. Third, some examples of the intervention of the CCK and gastrin peptides are exposed in diseases, taking into account intervention of the classical receptor subtypes (CCK1 and CCK2 receptors) and their heterodimerisation as well as CCK-C receptor subtype. Finally, applications and future challenges are suggested in the nutritional field (performances) and in therapy with regards to the molecular forms or in relation with the type of receptor as well as new techniques to be utilised in detection or in therapy of disease. In conclusion, the present review underlines recent developments in this field: CCK and gastrin peptides and their receptors are the key factor of nutritional aspects; a better understanding of the mechanisms involved may increase the efficiency of the nutritional functions and the treatment of abnormalities under pathological conditions.

Purification, characterization and substrate specificity of rat pancreatic elastase II.

A somatostatin-14-degrading activity has been purified to homogeneity from rat pure pancreatic juice. This proteinase was concentrated more than 350-fold in a four-step procedure including ion-exchange and gel filtration. The final preparation contained a single protein with a molecular weight (M(r)) of approx. 29,000, as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The determination of its NH2-terminal sequence led us to conclude that the purified proteinase corresponds to the rat pancreatic elastase II predicted from the cDNA clone isolated by MacDonald in 1982. This anionic proteinase exhibits an isoelectric point of 5.6 and does not contain any carbohydrate moieties in its structure. The proteinase is sensitive to the trypsin inhibitors soybean trypsin inhibitor and N alpha-tosyl-L-lysine-chloromethyl ketone and also to 3,4-dichloroisocoumarin, a general elastase inhibitor. The cleavage products obtained after hydrolysis of somatostatin-14 by the purified elastase, were separated by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography and identified by amino-acid analysis. The primary hydrolysis was trypsin-like and consisted in an opening of the cyclic structure of somatostatin-14 after the Lys-9 residue leading to the formation of a Y-shaped peptide with the same amino-acid composition as the native peptide. The initial 'trypsin-like specificity' was not observed during the secondary hydrolysis of the Y-shaped peptide; indeed the proteinase seemed more specific for a certain motif in the native peptide rather than for a specific class of amino acid, this last kind of selectivity is commonly observed with trypsin and chymotrypsin. In order to establish that the proteinase possesses an extended recognition site on the substrate rather than a specificity for a class of amino acid, the substrate specificity of the rat pancreatic elastase II was investigated with a series of para-nitroanilide peptides. The proteinase exhibits a large specificity involving peptide chain of at least four amino acids with a preference for bulky residue in P1 or P2. The Km values of 89 microM and 1567 microM obtained for somatostatin-14 and Suc-Ala-Ala-Pro-Met-pNA, respectively, indicate that elastase II has a greater affinity for the natural substrate than for synthetics. This last observation along with the substrate specificity of the proteinase leads us to propose that elastase II could be specifically involved in the regulation of biological functions of somatostatin-14 in the gastrointestinal tract.

Basic fibroblast growth factor-stimulated arachidonic acid release in rat pancreatic acini: sequential action of tyrosine kinase, phospholipase C, protein kinase C and diacylglycerol lipase.

This study was performed to evaluate the effect of human recombinant basic fibroblast growth factor on arachidonic acid release from rat pancreatic acini and to determine the cellular mechanism involved. From enzymatic assays, basic fibroblast growth factor did not significantly stimulate phospholipase A2 activity, whereas it significantly increased diacylglycerol lipase activity. Validity of phospholipase A2 or diacylglycerol lipase inhibitors was confirmed by their ability to inhibit phospholipase A2 or diacylglycerol lipase activities. Basic fibroblast growth factor increased intracellular accumulation and extracellular release of arachidonic acid from metabolically labelled acinar cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. This effect was maximal with 50 pM basic fibroblast growth factor and became significant after a 5-min incubation period. The protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor, 0.5 mM genistein, inhibited arachidonic acid release in basic fibroblast growth factor-stimulated acini, whereas 100 microM vanadate, a protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, enhanced arachidonic acid release. Two phospholipase A2 inhibitors, mepacrine and aristolochic acid, failed to attenuate basic fibroblast growth factor-stimulated arachidonic acid release. A diacylglycerol lipase inhibitor RHC 80267 at 150 microM and 50 microM completely inhibited 50 pM basic fibroblast growth factor-induced intracellular accumulation and extracellular release of arachidonic acid, respectively. Furthermore, basic fibroblast growth factor stimulated arachidonic acid release was also inhibited by 10 microM U73122 and by 100 nM staurosporine, phospholipase C and protein kinase C respective inhibitors. Wortmannin, an inhibitor of basic fibroblast growth factor-stimulated phospholipase D, did not affect arachidonic acid release. 100 nM 4 beta-phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate also increased arachidonic acid release, an effect also inhibited by staurosporine. Taken together, these data demonstrate activation of diacylglycerol lipase and arachidonic acid release in pancreatic acini upon stimulation by basic fibroblast growth factor, and strongly indicate that arachidonic acid release in response to basic fibroblast growth factor depends upon the sequential action of tyrosine kinase, phospholipase C, protein kinase C and diacylglycerol lipase but not from phospholipase A2 not phospholipase D activation.

The ability of staurosporine to modulate pancreatic acinar cell desensitization by TPA, carbamylcholine and caerulein.

The implication of protein kinase C in the phenomenon of pancreatic acinar cell desensitization to carbamylcholine, caerulein and the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) was investigated using a potent PKC inhibitor, staurosporine. At a concentration of 1 microM, staurosporine caused a maximum 64% inhibition of amylase release from rat pancreatic acini stimulated by 100 nM TPA. At 100 nM, staurosporine reduced by 50 to 55% amylase secretion elicited by maximal concentrations of carbamylcholine or caerulein without affecting their potency. Staurosporine was also able to prevent completely desensitization by TPA of the subsequent secretory response to carbamylcholine and caerulein. Furthermore, staurosporine also totally prevented desensitization by caerulein of the subsequent secretory response to caerulein. In contrast, staurosporine only partially prevented desensitization by carbamylcholine of the subsequent secretory response to carbamylcholine. These results indicate that staurosporine is a potent inhibitor of protein kinase C as it inhibited the secretory response to carbamylcholine, caerulein and TPA. They also suggest that desensitization of the secretory response induced by TPA and caerulein used a common pathway involving protein kinase C activation. Finally, desensitization by carbamylcholine is more complex as it is only partially prevented at staurosporine; therefore, protein kinase C activation seems to be one of the factors involved.

Activation of MAP kinases in growth responsive pancreatic cancer cells.

The implication of MAP kinases in the proliferation control of pancreatic cancer cells is still unknown. This study was undertaken to examine the contribution of the p44/p42 and p38 MAP kinases in the mitogenic response to epidermal growth factor (EGF) and bombesin in human pancreatic cancer cells, MIA PaCa-2 and PANC-1. Data indicate that EGF and bombesin stimulated growth of both cell lines. In MIA PaCa-2 cells, EGF and bombesin stimulated the in gel activation of p38 while p44/p42 kinases exhibited high basal activity and no response to stimuli. Growth and p38 activation were inhibited by genistein, wortmannin, PD98059 and SB203580, specific inhibitors of tyrosine kinase, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, MEK-1 and p38 kinases, respectively. In PANC-1 cells, EGF and bombesin stimulated p42 in gel activation; p44 remained highly activated and unresponsive to stimuli and p38 did not respond. Stimulated growth and p42 activation were inhibited by genistein, wortmannin and PD98059. Estimation of MAPK activities with a specific anti-active MAP kinase antibody indicated, however, that EGF increased the intensity of the bands corresponding to p42 and p44 MAP kinases in both cell lines, indicating that the mitogenic factor can regulate MAP kinase activity. Data also pointed out that ATP is sufficient to increase MAP kinase activity within the in gel assay technique and may thus explain the discrepancies existing between the in gel assay data and those obtained with the anti-active MAP kinase antibody.

Cell signalling pathway involved in PACAP-induced AR4-2J cell proliferation.

The novel 38-amino acid neuropeptide PACAP (pituitary adenylate activating peptide) has recently been shown to induce the pancreatic acinar tumour AR4-2J cell growth. This growth promoting effect of PACAP was, however, independent of adenylate cyclase activation but suppressed by pertussis toxin and the somatostatin analog SMS 201-995. This study was undertaken to search for potential cell signalling pathways involved in the growth promoting effect of PACAP on AR4-2J cells. The AR4-2J cells were grown in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium containing 10% foetal calf serum. For studies on cell signalling pathways, all experiments were carried out on cells which have reached 50 to 75% confluency. At that point, they were transferred to serum free medium overnight with or without 1 microCi/ml myristic acid. The next morning, cells were harvested, washed and used for tyrosine kinase and phospholipase D (PLD) activities. For studies on growth, cells were grown for 2 days in the presence of 1 nM PACAP +/- the different inhibitors of tyrosine kinase and PLD. PACAP-38 and -27 caused a dose-dependent and parallel activation of tyrosine kinase and PLD an effect prevented by the antagonist PACAP 7-38. PACAP-38-stimulated tyrosine kinase and PLD activation are both dose-dependently inhibited by SMS 201-995. Finally, PACAP-stimulated tyrosine kinase and PLD activities are both inhibited by cell's preincubation with genistein and pertussis toxin. After 2 days, the PACAP-induced increase in AR4-2J cell growth was significantly inhibited by increasing concentrations of genistein and wortmannin, inhibitors of tyrosine kinase, PLD and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, respectively. PACAP can induce concomitant activation of tyrosine kinase and PLD; this finding and the observation that inhibition of these two enzymes inhibited PACAP-induced AR4-2J cell growth strongly suggests that they are intimately involved in the overall process of PACAP-induced AR4-2J cell proliferation.

Regulation of pancreatic enzyme secretion in conscious rats by intraluminal somatostatin: mechanism of action.

These studies were undertaken to characterize 1) the immunoreactive somatostatin (SS) forms found in the gastrointestinal lumen and 2) to assess the possible role of luminal SS on pancreatic exocrine function. Results indicate that different forms of SS are secreted into the rat gastric and duodenal lumen in proportions corresponding to their gastric and duodenal contents. Inhibition of diversion-stimulated pancreatic exocrine secretion by intraduodenal infusion of SS (SS-ID) is dose dependent with a maximal effective dose of 24 micrograms/kg-1h-1 for volume and 48 micrograms/kg-1h-1 for protein output. Infusion of supramaximal doses result in a loss of the inhibitory effect of SS-ID on both volume and protein outputs. Comparison between inhibition of pancreatic secretion by iv SS (SS-IV) and SS-ID indicates that SS-ID is about 20 times less potent than SS-IV in its inhibition of stimulated pancreatic exocrine secretion. Intraileal (SS-IL) infusion of SS at 48 micrograms/kg-1h-1 did not inhibit stimulated pancreatic secretion but was rather stimulatory possibly through the inhibition of putative ileal inhibitors. Likewise, passive immunization against circulating SS did not affect the inhibitory effects of SS-ID on pancreatic secretion. These data indicate that SS is secreted into the rat gastrointestinal lumen and that its infusion into the duodenal lumen inhibits stimulated pancreatic secretion in a dose-dependent fashion. The observation that SS-IL did not inhibit pancreatic secretion and that passive immunization against circulating SS did not affect the inhibitory effect of SS-ID suggest that the action of SS-ID on stimulated exocrine pancreatic secretion is probably indirect and may involve a duodenal signal, possibly an inhibition of endogenous release of cholecystokinin and/or secretin.

Epidermal growth factor inhibits rat pancreatic cell proliferation, causes acinar cell hypertrophy, and prevents caerulein-induced desensitization of amylase release.

The in vivo effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on pancreatic growth and digestive enzyme concentrations were compared with the actions of the pancreatic secretagogue caerulein in the adult rat. EGF (10 micrograms/kg BW) did not alter pancreatic weight or protein content. However, this concentration of EGF inhibited [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA by 44%, decreased DNA content by 20%, and increased the concentrations of amylase, chymotrypsinogen, and protein by 106%, 232%, and 42%, respectively. Pancreatic acini prepared from EGF-treated rats exhibited a characteristic secretory response to caerulein that was superimposable to that obtained in acini from saline-treated rats. In both groups of acini half-maximal and maximal stimulation of amylase release occurred at approximately 5 pM and 50 pM caerulein, respectively. In contrast to EGF, caerulein (1 microgram/kg BW) increased pancreatic weight by 29% and protein content by 59%, and enhanced [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA by 70%. Although caerulein increased the concentrations of pancreatic amylase and chymotrypsinogen by 38% and 297%, respectively, pancreatic acini prepared from caerulein-treated rats were less sensitive to the actions of caerulein in vitro when compared with acini from control rats. Indeed, the EC50 was shift from 4.8 pM to 9.8 pM after 4 days of treatment. EGF potentiated the actions of caerulein on pancreatic weight, protein content, and chymotrypsinogen concentration, and prevented the caerulein-induced alteration in the secretory responsiveness of the acinar cell. Conversely, caerulein reversed the inhibitory effect of EGF on thymidine incorporation. These findings suggest that EGF may modulate the trophic effects of certain gastrointestinal hormones, and may participate in the regulation of pancreatic exocrine function in vivo.

Effects of SMS 201-995 on basal and stimulated pancreatic secretion in rats.

Somatostatin (SRIF) is a potent inhibitor of most gastrointestinal and pancreatic functions. Recently, we showed that SRIF given either iv or intraduodenally (id) strongly inhibited stimulated pancreatic secretion induced by pancreatic juice diversion (PJD) from the duodenum. In this study we evaluate the effects of iv and id infusion of a long acting analog of SRIF, SMS 201-995 (SMS), on pancreatic secretion during basal conditions (pancreatic juice returned) and PJD. Conscious rats prepared with bile, pancreatic, duodenal, and jugular cannulae were studied 3-8 days postoperatively. Protein and fluid outputs were evaluated, and plasma cholecystokinin (CCK) was measured by bioassay. iv SMS infusion (5 micrograms kg-1 h-1) inhibited basal pancreatic protein and fluid secretion by 84 and 64%, respectively. Addition of atropine (500 micrograms kg-1 h-1 ip) did not cause further inhibition. During PJD, SMS iv from 0.005-1.28 micrograms kg-1 h-1 for 3 h caused a dose-dependent inhibition with maximal 90% and 75% reductions of protein and fluid, respectively, at 1.28 micrograms SMS. Plasma CCK was also reduced by 83% from 3.01 +/- 1.15 to 0.51 +/- 0.22 pM. SMS, id at 1.7 micrograms kg-1 h-1 for 1.5 h before and 2 h after PJD, caused inhibition of basal secretion by 25% and that induced by PJD by 60%. Plasma CCK, measured 1.5 h after diversion, increased from 1.55 +/- 0.06 to 5.9 +/- 1.14 pM in the presence of SMS. Intravenous SMS was 20 times more potent than SRIF in inhibiting pancreatic protein and volume secretion stimulated by PJD. Iv SMS inhibited basal and stimulated fluid and protein pancreatic secretion as well as plasma CCK levels. SMS was also effective when given id in inhibiting fluid and protein pancreatic secretion, but id SMS increased plasma CCK levels. This effect on plasma CCK may be due to the inhibition of hormonal inhibitors of CCK release.

Effects of peptide YY on the growth of the pancreas and intestine.

The effects of Peptide YY (PYY) on pancreatic and intestinal growth have been investigated in conscious rats. Male Wistar rats equipped with jugular vein cannulas were randomly assigned to five groups. All rats received continuous i.v. infusion of gut peptides for 4 days, rats were then killed, and the pancreas and intestine were analyzed. Infusion of PYY alone at the dose of 400 pmol/kg.h affected neither pancreatic weight, DNA and RNA contents, or the duodenal weight, protein, DNA and RNA contents. Infusion of caerulein at the dose of 0.25 microgram/kg.h significantly increased pancreatic weight, DNA, RNA, and protein contents by 202%, 109%, 171%, 183% above control values, but it did not affect duodenal weight, DNA, RNA, and protein contents. PYY, 400 pmol/kg.h, infused simultaneously with caerulein significantly reduced by 39%, 35%, and 45% increases in pancreatic weight, RNA and DNA contents stimulated by caerulein, respectively. Surprisingly, administration of PYY antiserum also resulted in a small but significant reduction in caerulein-stimulated pancreatic weight, protein, and DNA contents. In conclusion, PYY has an inhibitory effect on cholecystokinin-stimulated pancreatic growth and may play a physiological role as an inhibitor of pancreatic growth.

Endogenous cholecystokinin release responsible for pancreatic growth observed after pancreatic juice diversion.

This study was undertaken to determine whether intermittent pancreatic juice diversion (PJD) from the intestine can induce pancreatic and duodenal growth. Concomitant infusions of SMS 201-995, a somatostatin analog, and L-364,718, a cholecystokinin (CCK) receptor antagonist, were used to establish the involvement of endogenous CCK. Fed rats equipped with biliary, duodenal, and pancreatic cannulae had their pancreatic juice diverted 8 h/day for 4 days and were infused or not with either SMS 201-995 (5 micrograms/kg.h) or L-364,718 (0.5 mg/kg.h) during diversion. After 4 days, rats were killed, and their pancreas and duodenum were excised for measurements of parameters indicative of growth. In normally fed rats with pancreatic juice returned, SMS 201-995 inhibited daily pancreatic secretions of volume and protein, whereas L-364,718 inhibited only protein output. These two inhibitors had no effect on normal pancreatic and duodenal growth. PJD was associated with increased volume and protein output, increased plasma CCK level, and pancreatic growth. All of these effects were completely blocked by SMS 201-995 and L-364,718, with the exception of plasma CCK level by the CCK antagonist. None of these treatments affected duodenal growth. These results suggest that intermittent infusions of these two inhibitors had no effect on normal pancreatic and duodenal growth, but were successful in preventing pancreatic growth induced by PJD. They also indicate that endogenous CCK is involved in PJD-induced pancreatic growth.

Peptide-YY, a new partner in the negative feedback control of pancreatic secretion.

Peptide YY (PYY), a newly discovered ileocolonic peptide, is released by nutrients in the proximal and distal intestine and inhibits pancreatic secretion. However, it is not clear whether PYY can be released in the absence of nutrients in the intestine or whether a physiological role exists for endogenous PYY in negative feedback regulation of pancreatic secretion by pancreatic proteases. In the present study we measured plasma PYY concentrations and determined the effects of anti-PYY serum during stimulation of pancreatic secretion by pancreatic juice diversion (PJD). The effect of SMS 201-995 (SMS; an analog of somatostatin), another inhibitor of pancreatic secretion, on regulation of PYY release induced by PJD was also investigated. Male Wistar rats equipped with pancreatic, biliary, duodenal, and jugular venous cannulas were studied 4-6 days postoperatively. After 90 min of basal collection, pancreatic juice was diverted for 4 h with or without infusion of SMS (2 micrograms/kg.h), given either iv or intraduodenally (ID). Plasma PYY concentrations were significantly increased from a basal level of 177 +/- 15 pg/ml to a peak level of 328 +/- 43 pg/ml 2 h after PJD. These increases in PYY concentration paralleled those in pancreatic protein and fluid outputs. Both iv and ID infusion of SMS during the first 2 h of PJD markedly decreased the plasma PYY concentration to 134 +/- 27 pg/ml and 156 +/- 19 pg/ml, respectively; the total incremental PYY release during 4 h of PJD was inhibited by 100% and 84% by iv and ID SMS, respectively. One milliliter of anti-PYY serum given iv significantly augmented the increment in protein and fluid output during PJD. These results suggest that endogenous PYY released by PJD may play a physiological role in negative feedback regulation of pancreatic secretion in rats.

Inhibitory and stimulatory effects of somatostatin on two human pancreatic cancer cell lines: a primary role for tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1.

Somatostatin (SS-14) and its structural analogue SMS 201-995 (SMS) are recognized as physiological inhibitors of multiple organs and tissue functions through specific membrane receptors (sst1-sst5). The effects of SS-14 and SMS in the growth control of the pancreatic cancer cell lines MIA PaCa-2 and PANC-1 were investigated to identify and clarify the intracellular events involved. In PANC-1 cells, SS-14 and SMS caused inhibition of their basal growth, and that stimulated by epidermal growth factor, with a maximal effect at 0.1-1 microM. To understand the inhibitory mechanisms, we investigated the effects of SS-14 and SMS on phosphotyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) activity and, more specifically, that of tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 (PTP1C). SS-14 and SMS caused significant increases in total cellular PTPase activity, and particularly SHP-1, with maximal activation within 1 min. Inhibition of membrane tyrosine kinase and p42 MAP kinase activities was also observed, in response to SS-14 and SMS. In MIA PaCa-2 cells, SS-14 and SMS were associated with a positive growth response at 1-10 nM, after 4 days of culture in serum-free medium. Total cellular PTPase activity was slightly increased, but SHP-1 activity could not be detected; its absence in this cell line was confirmed by Western blot. Membrane tyrosine kinase activities were significantly increased by SS-14 and SMS at concentrations needed for maximal growth. p44/p42, which are constitutively active in this cell line, and p38 activities were not affected by somatostatin. In conclusion, somatostatin can exert different effects on human pancreatic cancer cell growth, depending upon the presence or absence of SHP-1. This enzyme can play a key role in the control of cell proliferation, and its cellular presence may determine the therapeutic potential of somatostatin in the control of cancer cell growth.

Downregulation of IGF-I mRNA expression during postnatal pancreatic development and overexpression after subtotal pancreatectomy and acute pancreatitis in the rat pancreas.

Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are important peptides involved in the regulation of cell growth and differentiation in many tissues. The ontogeny of IGF-I was examined in pancreata from 19-day rat fetuses, newborns and 5-, 11-, 26- and 70-day-old rats. For the regeneration studies two models were used: (i) 90% pancreatectomy was carried out and the rats were killed at 1, 2, 3 and 6 days after resection; (ii) acute pancreatitis was induced with caerulein (12 micrograms/body weight three times a day every 8 h for 2 days) and the rats were killed at 1, 2, 5, 7 and 9 days after the first injection. Total RNA was extracted by the guanidinium isothiocyanate method and Northern blots were performed using total RNA and labeled cRNA probes. Abundance of the different mRNA transcripts was estimated by densitometric scanning and normalized to the abundance of 18 S rRNA for each time point. Northern blot analysis during ontogeny showed four (0.8-1.2, 1.9, 4.7 and 7.5 kb) major transcripts in the rat pancreas and liver. Total IGF-I mRNA was 40-fold higher in the adult liver than in the adult pancreas. Moreover, in the liver, IGF-I mRNA levels were higher in the adult than in the fetus, whereas in the pancreas, the highest levels were observed around birth. During the first 3 days after pancreatectomy, a peak of maximal expression was observed after the second day. Densitometric analysis of each IGF-I mRNA species showed concomitant increases in all transcripts. After 6 days, all transcripts had returned to near-control values. IGF-I mRNA expression 2 days after pancreatectomy was 3.5-fold higher than in the newborn. During the first 2 days of acute pancreatitis induction, overexpression of IGF-I mRNA was observed. However, soon after the second day of caerulein treatment, the 7.5 kb transcripts remained elevated whereas those of the others regressed toward control values. Our results show that IGF-I mRNA is overexpressed in both models of pancreatic regeneration but downregulated in the normal adult pancreas.

Influence of kappa and IgH genes on the T helper cell response to p-azobenzenearsonate tyrosine.

Immunization of mice with the p-azobenzenearsonate-L-tyrosine conjugate (ABA-Tyr) leads to the activation of ABA-specific T helper cells capable of proliferating in vitro in the presence of the corresponding antigen. This response is under a dual genetic regulation by H-2 and non-H-2 linked genes, and H-2d mice are high-responder. We demonstrate here, using strains congenic to BALB/c for chromosomes (Chr.) 6 or 12 that this T cell response is also influenced by kappa and IgH linked genes. Double congenic mice indicate that Chr.6 and Chr.12 genes have a complementary effect on the response which cannot be predicted solely by the alleles expressed on either of the two chromosomes. In addition, responses in Bailey's inbred recombinant mice allow a possible mapping of the Chr.12 gene at the 5' end of the IgH complex and of the VH-dextran gene family. The mechanisms which may account for the influence of immunoglobulin gene products on the ABA-specific T cell repertoire are discussed.