Amino acid- and glucose-induced cholestasis before and during secretin stimulation.

To identify the mechanisms of reduced bile flow after hypertonic amino acid and glucose infusion, acute experiments were performed on anesthetized pigs. When secretin was not administered, amino acids or glucose reduced bile acid-dependent bile secretion to 65 +/- 3% of control. During secretin stimulation amino acids or glucose diminished bile acid-independent bile secretion to 78 +/- 2% of control. No changes in serum bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase were observed. Amino acids and glucose attack different mechanisms responsible for bile formation, but the result is that when secretin is not administered, biliary secretion of bile acids is reduced, and, accordingly, bile acid-dependent bile flow diminished. During secretin stimulation biliary NaHCO3 secretion is depressed, accounting for a fall in bile acid-independent bile flow. Amino acids exert no effect on bile acid secretion or, as a result, on bile acid-dependent bile flow after secretin infusion.