devazepide and Choline-Deficiency

The role of cholecystokinin (CCK) in the development of a necrotizing acute pancreatitis induced by a diet deficient in choline and supplemented with ethionine (CDE) has been evaluated in the rat by using a potent CCK receptor antagonist L-364,718. Acute pancreatitis was induced by administration of CDE diet for 14 days. L-364,718 administration was carried out by subcutaneous injections at dose of 0.1 mg/kg/day. Pancreatic exocrine secretion (flow, protein, amylase and trypsin outputs) in resting and under infusion of 1.25 microgram/kg/h of CCK-8 were used to evaluate the pancreatic functionality. Others parameters (serum amylase, percentage fluid in pancreas, haematocrit and mortality) evaluated the severity of pancreatitis. L-364,718 slightly reduced the mortality and the increases of percentage of fluid accumulated in pancreas in CDE diet acute pancreatitis. Basal and CCK stimulated pancreatic secretion was significantly depressed 36 hours after L-364,718 treatment. A slight response to CCK was observed. Nevertheless it was lower than usually observed in control rats. Our results demonstrate that in the rat, chronic L-364,718 treatment did not completely restore pancreatic activity in acute pancreatitis induced by CDE diet. Hence CCK cannot be considered as the main factor involved in the development of this pancreatitis model.

Topics: Acute Disease; Analysis of Variance; Animals; Benzodiazepinones; Choline Deficiency; Devazepide; Diet; Ethionine; Male; Necrosis; Pancreatitis; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Receptors, Cholecystokinin

The effects of the cholecystokinin receptor antagonist L-364,718 was studied in a model of mild pancreatitis induced in mice by repeated injections of the secretagogue caerulein and in a lethal form of pancreatitis induced by feeding mice an ethionine-supplemented choline-deficient diet. L-364,718 prevented the caerulein-induced rise in serum amylase and pancreatic weight in a dose-dependent manner, the most effective dose being 0.1 mg/kg body wt. L-364,718 also prevented the caerulein-induced pancreatic inflammation as seen by light microscopy. L-364,718 offered no protective effects as determined by changes in serum amylase, pancreatic weight, histology, or mortality in the ethionine-supplemented choline-deficient diet model.

Topics: Amylases; Animals; Benzodiazepinones; Ceruletide; Cholecystokinin; Choline Deficiency; Devazepide; Ethionine; Male; Mice; Organ Size; Pancreas; Pancreatitis; Receptors, Cholecystokinin

The effects of a potent cholecystokinin (CCK) receptor antagonist, L-364,718, on two forms of experimental acute pancreatitis in mice were evaluated. The antagonist prevented the hyperamylasemia, pancreatic edema, and acinar cell vacuolization that followed administration of a supramaximally stimulating dose of the cholecystokinin analogue cerulein. In contrast, the same dose of L-364,718 (1 mg/kg/6 h) and an even higher dose (10 mg/kg/6 h) failed to prevent the hyperamylasemia, acinar cell necrosis, and mortality that followed administration of a choline-deficient ethionine-supplemented diet. These observations are at variance with those previously reported to follow administration of the relatively weak cholecystokinin antagonist proglumide (Niederau C et al. J Clin Invest 1986;78:1056-63). The observations reported in this communication suggest that cholecystokinin does not play an important role in diet-induced pancreatitis and that CCK receptor antagonists are unlikely to be of benefit in the treatment of clinical acute pancreatitis.

Topics: Animals; Benzodiazepinones; Ceruletide; Cholecystokinin; Choline Deficiency; Devazepide; Diet; Ethionine; Female; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Pancreatitis