title: Glucagon 1-21 reduces intestinal epithelial cell proliferation in parenterally fed rats.
abstract: The hypothesis that glucagon 1-21 (G1-21) is trophic to the gastrointestinal tract was investigated in the hypoplastic intestine of intravenously maintained rats. Three groups of eight rats were fed parenterally for three days and then were infused with either 0, 20 or 80 micrograms rat-1 day-1 of G1-21 for 3 days. No significant effect on the weight of the stomach, caecum or colon was observed, but both the weight and crypt cell production rate of the small intestine were significantly decreased by G1-21. Plasma enteroglucagon was also decreased by G1-21 treatment. It is concluded that G1-21 does not have a trophic effect on the gastrointestinal tract, and, in fact, has an antiproliferative effect on the small intestine, which could in turn be modulated by decreased levels of endogenous enteroglucagon.
authors.affiliation: Imperial Cancer Research Fund, Histopathology Unit, London.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Goodlad
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ghatei
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Bloom
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Wright
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D004064:Digestive System / Q000187:drug effects; D004848:Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects; D005755:Gastrins / Q000097:blood; D005934:Glucagon / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004763:Glucagon-Like Peptides / Q000097:blood; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019894:Peptide YY; D010455:Peptides / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D005755:Gastrins; D007328:Insulin; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010455:Peptides; D019894:Peptide YY; C043386:glucagon (1-21); D004763:Glucagon-Like Peptides; D005934:Glucagon