The influence of vagotomy on basal and postprandial pancreatic secretion and plasma levels of gastrointestinal hormones in conscious rats.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of vagotomy on basal and postprandial pancreatic secretion and plasma levels of gastrointestinal hormones. Thirteen rats underwent vagotomy and 12 underwent sham operation. All of the rats were prepared with gastric and pancreatic fistulas. Before and after an intragastric infusion of liquid meal, pancreatic fluid and protein outputs and plasma levels of cholecystokinin and gastrin were measured. Vagotomy induced a delay and a decrease in postprandial responses in pancreatic volume and protein outputs. Vagotomy had no effect on basal and postprandial plasma levels of cholecystokinin. Basal and postprandial levels of plasma gastrin were significantly increased after vagotomy, but the postprandial patterns of gastrin release were not significantly different between the two groups. Vagal regulation may be important in the basal gastrin release but is not involved in basal release of cholecystokinin or postprandial releases of gastrin and cholecystokinin. The current results indicate that vagotomy influences postprandial pancreatic secretion. This effect is probably the result of interrupted vagus-mediated reflexes between the intestinal tract and the pancreas.