Exocrine pancreatic function in dogs with denervated pancreas.

There is strong evidence that the vagus nerve plays an important role in exocrine pancreatic secretion. In the present study we examined the effect of total extrinsic denervation of the pancreas on exocrine pancreatic secretion to different stimuli in dogs. In the experiments we used the model of the orthotopic autotransplanted dog pancreas as described by Debas et al. Denervation of the gland did not significantly alter water and bicarbonate response to secretin. The dose-response curve of caerulein showed the denervated pancreas as sensitive as the intact gland. However, autotransplantation of the pancreas caused a significant decrease (p less than 0.05) in protein secretion during intraintestinal L-tryptophan in increasing doses. Furthermore, bicarbonate and protein secretion after food intake was significantly decreased in the denervated pancreas (protein: peak levels 380 mg/15 min and 135 mg/15 min; bicarbonate: 3.2 mEq/15 min and 1.4 mEq/15 min) (p less than 0.02). From our data we conclude that the denervated pancreas is as sensitive as the intact pancreas to stimulation by exogenous secretin and caerulein, whereas denervation of the pancreas causes an important influence in the intestinal phase of pancreatic secretion.