Effects of camostat, a synthetic protease inhibitor, on endocrine and exocrine pancreas of the rat.

The effects of chronic oral treatment of rats with 400 mg/kg body weight camostat, a synthetic protease inhibitor, on weight gain and both pancreatic exocrine and endocrine secretion were studied and compared with pair-fed controls. Administration of camostat was found to result in a lower weight gain than in untreated rats fed ad libitum because of reduced food intake. The pancreas of treated rats showed hypertrophy and hyperplasia with significantly higher total contents of amylase, lipase, trypsinogen and chymotrypsinogen than that of pair-fed controls. The specific activity of lipase, trypsinogen and chymotrypsinogen remained unchanged but the specific activity of amylase was significantly lower than in pair-fed controls. Stimulation of pancreatic enzymes with CCK 8 in treated rats resulted in a greater output of proteases, no difference in secretion of lipase and a lower secretion of amylase than in pair-fed rats. Glucose-dependent insulin secretion was also significantly lower in camostat-treated rats than in controls. This effect could be reversed by gastric inhibitory polypeptide. After termination of treatment with camostat all enzymes were normalized within 14 d. Our results on the hypertrophied pancreas of rats suggest preferential synthesis and secretion of protease at the expense of amylase and diminished sensitivity of insulin to stimulation by glucose. All effects of camostat on the pancreas were reversible.