Effect of chronic glucagon-administration on the digestive and absorptive function of rat small intestine in vivo.

Endogeneous hyperglucagonemia is observed in experimental diabetes mellitus and semistarvation, conditions associated with an increased intestinal absorptive function. To examine whether glucagon might exert a similar adaptive response on intestinal digestive-absorptive function like experimental diabetes mellitus the effect of chronic glucagon administration on intestinal transport of 3-0-methyl-D-glucose, water, sodium, potassium, and D-glucose induced transmural potential difference (PD) was examined by an in vivo perfusion technique in rat small intestine. Chronic administration of glucagon (100 mug twice daily) for 5 days resulted in increased absorption of 3-0-methyl-D-glucose, water, sodium and potassium as well as in an increase of D-glucose induced PD. A similar, but more pronounced augmentation of D-glucose induced PD was observed in the jejunum of streptozotocin-diabetic rats. Disaccharidase (maltase, sucrase, trehalase, lactase) and alkaline phosphatase activities were not affected in intestinal mucosa of glucagon-treated rats compared to controls. It cannot be decided from these results whether hyperglucagonemia is responsible for the adaptive intestinal changes observed in experimental diabetes mellitus.