Biochemical and energetic gradients in the mucosa of stomach and duodenum of patients with antral ulcer.

Separation and measurement of adenine-adenosine, adenosine monophosphate (AMP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), lipid phosphates, RNA and DNA, further, separation and measurement of Mg2+-dependent, total (Mg2+-dependent plus Na+--K+-dependent, Mg2+-Na+-K-dependent) and Na+-K+-dependent ATPases were carried out in the mucosa and muscles of the corpus, antrum and duodenum of 68 patients with antral ulcer. It was found that (1) the substrate levels of adenosine nucleotides, lipid phosphates and RNA were significantly higher in the corpus mucosa than those in the mucosa of the antrum and duodenum (calculated for 1.0 mg DNA content); (2) the amounts of adenosine nucleotides and the sum of ATP + ADP + AMP did not alter significantly in the muscles of the corpus, antrum and duodenum; (3) the levels of adenosine nucleotides, sum of ATP + ADP + AMP, lipid phosphates and RNA, further the activities of Mg2+-dependent , total (Mg2/-dependent plus Na+-K+-dependent) and Na+-K+-dependent ATPases were significantly higher in the corpus mucosa than those in the corpus muscles. It was concluded that (1) energetic and biochemical gradients are present between the substrate levels in the mucosa of the corpus, antrum and duodenum; (2) the neural and/or humoral regulatory mechanisms differ in the mucosa and muscles of the corpus, in order to their biochemistry.