Glicentin, an active enteroglucagon, has a significant trophic role on the small intestine but not on the colon in the rat.
BACKGROUND
Many experiments have indicated that the gut glucagons (enteroglucagons) are associated with cell proliferation in the small intestine. However, recent studies have failed to show trophic effects of glicentin (enteroglucagon) on the intestine.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the effects of glicentin on intestinal proliferation in vivo in the rat.


METHODS
Rats were established on total parenteral nutrition for 6 days. Four experimental groups were given daily doses of 1, 4, 20 and 80 microg/rat of glicentin via the jugular vein. Rats fed by total parenteral nutrition and rats fed chow ad libitum were used as controls. Tissues taken from the duodenum, jejunum, ileum and colon were fixed in Carnoy's fluid and microdissected to determine the metaphase arrest scores and crypt fission ratios.


RESULTS
The mean metaphase arrest scores per crypt of the small intestine were significantly increased in the rats given 4, 20 and 80 microg of glicentin. These responses were dose-dependent, and were most prominent in the ileum. Crypt fission of the ileum was significantly decreased in the 20 and 80 microg glicentin groups. Glicentin had no effects on proliferation or fission in the colon.


CONCLUSIONS
Glicentin is trophic to the rat small intestine, but not the colon.
Sasaki
M
M
Department of Histopathology, Imperial College School of Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, UK.
Fitzgerald
A J
AJ
Mandir
N
N
Sasaki
K
K
Wright
N A
NA
Goodlad
R A
RA
D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division; D003106:Colon / Q000502:physiology; D004386:Duodenum / Q000502:physiology; D053771:Glicentin; D005934:Glucagon / Q000502:physiology*; D004763:Glucagon-Like Peptides / Q000502:physiology*; D007082:Ileum / Q000502:physiology; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000502:physiology*; D007583:Jejunum / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008677:Metaphase; D010289:Parenteral Nutrition, Total; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000502:physiology*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology
D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011498:Protein Precursors; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004763:Glucagon-Like Peptides; D053771:Glicentin; D005934:Glucagon