Glucagon, secretin and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide immunoreactivities in rat gut after jejuno-ileal bypass and resection.

Jejuno-ileal bypass (JIB) and resection are associated with hyperplastic and other changes in residual functional gut. In studies on endocrine changes, circulating hormone levels are usually measured. In this study with Sprague-Dawley rats, glucagon, secretin and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), immunoreactivities were measured in extracts of gut tissues including formerly adjacent segments of functional and bypassed jejunum and ileum. Young adult (200-220 g) and mature (404-440 g) rats received greater than 90% JIB. Though slight differences were observed in the response of the young and old rats to the operations, and between the effects of JIB and resection, the results do not indicate major involvement of secretin, VIP or gut glucagon-like immunoreactivity in the effects of surgery. Changes include increased immunoreactivity of secretin in the upper and of VIP in the lower functional gut following JIB. N-terminal-to central glucagon immunoreactivity in the functional ileum did not change substantially after operations, but was significantly lower in the non-functional than functional ileum after bypass. Plasma levels of this immunoreactivity were higher following operations and highest following resection.