Oxyntomodulin from distal gut. Role in regulation of gastric and pancreatic functions.

We studied the effects of intravenous infusion of synthetic oxyntomodulin (proglucagon 33-69), a potential hormone from the ileal mucosa, on fasting and postprandial gastric acid secretion, gastric emptying, gastroduodenal motility, and pancreatic secretion of trypsin and lipase measured simultaneously in six normal volunteers using multilumen tubes for infusion of markers, manometry, and aspiration of gastric and duodenal contents. The infusion resulted in plasma concentrations of 203 +/- 21 pmol/liter (mean +/- SEM) of oxyntomodulin, regarded as high but not unphysiological concentrations of the peptide. Oxyntomodulin almost abolished basal acid secretion and inhibited postprandial acid secretion by 35 +/- 10%. Gastric emptying decreased significantly; the time for 50% to leave the stomach increased from 17.3 +/- 2.2 min to 34.7 +/- 8.0 min. The postprandial gastroduodenal motility was massively inhibited by oxyntomodulin. Postprandial trypsin and lipase output was significantly inhibited by 56 +/- 12% and 42 +/- 11%, respectively, during oxyntomodulin infusion. However, pancreatic enzyme output was linearly related to gastric emptying and oxyntomodulin did not influence this relationship, suggesting that oxyntomodulins effect was due to its effect on gastric emptying. Oxyntomodulin seems to play an important role in the small intestinal inhibitory control of gastropancreatic functions.