Caerulein and secretin induced pancreatic growth: a possible control by endogenous pancreatic somatostatin.

Pancreatic hypertrophy and hyperplasia following chronic joint (CA + SE), or separate, caerulein (CA: 1 microgram . kg-1) and secretin (SE: 75 micrograms . kg-1) administration were studied in parallel with pancreatic somatostatin (SRIF) contents following 2, 4, 7 and 10 days of treatment. Parameters indicative of pancreatic growth (tissue weight, DNA and protein contents, cellular protein concentrations) increased significantly after 2 days of CA or CA + SE and reached a plateau between days 4 and 10. SE merely induced a mild hypertrophy after 4 days. Endogenous pancreatic SRIF contents varied upon treatment, differently so with each peptide regimen. Indeed, CA and CA + SE treatments decreased total SRIF contents after 2 days with no effect thereafter. SE also decreased the latter after 2 days while significant increases were observed after 7 and 10 days. The inverse relationship seemingly existing between SRIF contents and the amplitude of hormonally-induced pancreatic growth supports the hypothesis that endogenous pancreatic SRIF, operating as an 'antigrowth' factor, may participate in the exogenous CA, SE and CA + SE stimulated pancreatic growth phenomena.