Pancreatic elastase activation as a possible indicator of the relative hazard of different cigarettes.

Levels of elastase activity in homogenates of pancreas from beagle dogs exposed to cigarette smoke on a daily basis for 600 d were previously reported. Elastase activity in pancreatic homogenates from animals exposed to smoke from high-nicotine cigarettes was significantly greater than in sham-exposed controls or in animals smoking low-nicotine cigarettes. In the study described here, dogs were exposed on an acute basis to smoke from high-nicotine and from nicotine-free cigarettes. Anesthetized animals were prepared by laparotomy, duodenotomy, and pancreatic duct cannulation. Pancreatic fluid was collected and preexposure elastase levels were determined. Samples were then taken during exposure to smoke from cigarettes of both types. There was no measurable elastase activity in the baseline samples. Similarly, no activity was found in fluids collected before and during exposure to smoke from nicotine-free cigarettes. Enzyme activity was detected, however, in samples collected during exposure to smoke from high-nicotine cigarettes once blood levels of nicotine reached 50-70 ng/ml. The results suggest that cigarette smoke may provoke activation of elastase and indicate the need for further study of any association of cigarette smoking with pancreatic disease.