Relationship between the changes in gastrin levels and intestinal properties in the starved rat.
Intestinal DNA, RNA, and protein content were decreased to a greater extent than was body weight when rats were starved for 3 days. Specific lactase and maltase activity increased with progressively longer periods of starvation. Antral and serum gastrin concentration significantly decreased during the 3 days of starvation. Pentagastrin (250 mug/kg 3 times daily) was injected into a group of rats for the duration of a 3-day starvation period and caused a small but significant increase in the relative intestinal RNA and protein content and decreased lactase and maltase specific activities in comparison with the levels of 3-day starved controls. Pentagastrin thus partially reversed some of the starvation-induced changes toward fed levels. Thus, a deficiency in the trophic hormone gastrin may be partially responsible for the disproportionate changes in intestinal tissue during starvation.
D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004187:Disaccharides / Q000378:metabolism; D005696:Galactosidases / Q000378:metabolism; D005755:Gastrins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005959:Glucosidases / Q000378:metabolism; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D010418:Pentagastrin / Q000494:pharmacology; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D013217:Starvation / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*
D004187:Disaccharides; D005755:Gastrins; D011506:Proteins; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA; D005696:Galactosidases; D005959:Glucosidases; D010418:Pentagastrin