PROTEIN PRODUCING CAPACITY OF THE HUMAN EXOCRINE PANCREAS: INCORPORATION OF S35 METHIONINE IN SERUM AND PANCREATIC JUICE PROTEIN

Gut microbial metabolites as multi-kingdom intermediates

The gut microbiota contributes to host physiology through the production of a myriad of metabolites. These metabolites exert their effects within the host as signalling molecules and substrates for metabolic reactions. Although the study of host-microbiota interactions remains challenging due to the high degree of crosstalk both within and between kingdoms, metabolite-focused research has identified multiple actionable microbial targets that are relevant for host health. Metabolites, as the functional output of combined host and microorganism interactions, provide a snapshot in time of an extraordinarily complex multi-organism system. Although substantial work remains towards understanding host-microbiota interactions and the underlying mechanisms, we review the current state of knowledge for each of the major classes of microbial metabolites with emphasis on clinical and translational research implications. We provide an overview of methodologies available for measurement of microbial metabolites, and in addition to discussion of key challenges, we provide a potential framework for integration of discovery-based metabolite studies with mechanistic work. Finally, we highlight examples in the literature where this approach has led to substantial progress in understanding host-microbiota interactions.

Significance of microflora in proteolysis in the colon

Protease activities in human ileal effluent and feces were compared by using a variety of native and diazotized protein substrates. In many cases the diazotized proteins had altered susceptibilities to hydrolysis compared with the native proteins. Proteolytic activity was significantly greater than (P less than 0.001) in small intestinal effluent than in feces (319 +/- 45 and 11 +/- 6 mg of azocasein hydrolyzed per h per g, respectively). Moreover, fecal proteolysis was qualitatively different in that ileal effluent did not hydrolyze the highly globular protein bovine serum albumin, whereas all fecal samples tested degraded this substrate. Inhibition experiments provided further evidence that fecal protease activity differed from that in the small intestine. Physical disruption of fecal bacteria released large quantities of proteases, indicating that the lysis of bacteria in the colon may contribute to the extracellular proteolytic activity in feces. Protease inhibition studies with washed fecal bacteria showed that they produced serine, cystine, and metalloproteases, and experiments with synthetic p-nitroanilide substrates indicated that low levels of trypsin- and chymotrypsin-like activities were associated with whole cells. An elastase-like enzyme was bound to the outer membranes of some fecal bacteria.

Sex dimorphism and hormonal regulation of rat tissue kallikrein mRNA

The regulation of rat tissue kallikrein mRNA levels was investigated by RNA filter hybridization using a kallikrein cDNA probe and by in vitro translation of isolated RNA. The synthesis of a 37 kDa polypeptide has been hybrid-arrested by the tissue kallikrein cDNA in cell-free translation assays directed by submandibular mRNA and the quantitation of this protein was used as a measure of translational activity of kallikrein mRNA. In Northern blot analyses, relative kallikrein mRNA levels were found to be 60-fold higher in submandibular gland than in pancreas and 20-fold higher than in kidney. In addition, it was noted that kallikrein mRNA is differentially regulated in tissues from male and female animals. Rat submandibular gland kallikrein mRNA is 2-times more abundant in male animals as in females. This trend is reversed in kidney, where the kallikrein mRNA in females is twice that in male animals. Relative submandibular gland kallikrein mRNA levels were found to be responsive to hormonal manipulation as measured by both Northern blotting and cell-free translation assays. Castration of male animals resulted in a decrease of kallikrein mRNA which could be partially restored by treatment with thyroxine and almost completely restored by testosterone treatment. The submandibular gland kallikrein mRNA in normal female rats was increased up to 30% by administration of testosterone or thyroxine. Adrenalectomized female rats showed a decrease in submandibular kallikrein mRNA which was significantly increased by testosterone, thyroxine, aldosterone and cortisol, with the largest effect being a 2- to 2.4-fold increase in cortisol-treated rats. These results indicate that hormones regulate tissue kallikrein synthesis in the rat submandibular gland, at least in part, by altering kallikrein mRNA accumulation.

Tissue kallikrein synthesis and its modification by testosterone or low dietary sodium

A method has been developed to measure the relative rate of rat tissue kallikrein synthesis which employs a specific antiserum raised against a purified rat urinary kallikrein. Incorporation of [35S]methionine into kallikrein and protein 20 min after intraperitoneal injection was measured in submaxillary gland, pancreas, kidney and descending colon. Kallikrein content was measured with a direct radioimmunoassay, and kallikrein-specific incorporation of [35S]methionine measured after immunoprecipitation. Kallikrein specific radioactivity (c.p.m./mg of enzyme) was about 100-fold greater than that in total protein in both kidney and colon. In contrast, in pancreas the incorporation into the enzyme was only 5-fold higher than into protein, and in submaxillary gland the incorporation was equivalent. Measured as kallikrein-specific radioactivity relative to total protein radioactivity incorporated in 20 min, kallikrein represents 0.18% of total protein synthesis in the kidney, 0.34% in the pancreas, 0.41% in the colon, but 7.29% in the submaxillary gland. Dietary Na+ restriction increased the relative rate of kallikrein synthesis 1.8-fold in the kidney without a comparable effect in submaxillary gland. In contrast, testosterone increased the relative rate of synthesis 2.3-fold in submaxillary gland, but decreased it in kidney. The data show that endogenous kallikrein synthesis differs markedly in various tissues, and that interventions which are known to change kallikrein content or excretion also change the relative rate of enzyme synthesis.

Acute pancreatitis

FOR MANY DECADES TWO TYPES OF ACUTE PANCREATITIS HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED: the edematous or interstitial and the hemorrhagic or necrotic. In most cases acute pancreatitis is associated with alcoholism or biliary tract disease. Elevated serum or urinary alpha-amylase is the most important finding in diagnosis. The presence of methemalbumin in serum and in peritoneal or pleural fluid supports the diagnosis of the hemorrhagic form of the disease in patients with a history and enzyme studies suggestive of pancreatitis. There is no characteristic clinical picture in acute pancreatitis, and its complications are legion. Pancreatic pseudocyst is probably the most common and pancreatic abscess is the most serious complication. The pathogenetic principle is autodigestion, but the precise sequence of biochemical events is unclear, especially the mode of trypsinogen activation and the role of lysosomal hydrolases. A host of metabolic derangements have been identified in acute pancreatitis, involving lipid, glucose, calcium and magnesium metabolism and changes of the blood clotting mechanism, to name but a few. Medical treatment includes intestinal decompression, analgesics, correction of hypovolemia and other supportive and protective measures. Surgical exploration is advisable in selected cases, when the diagnosis is in doubt, and is considered imperative in the presence of certain complications, especially pancreatic abscess.

Unstimulated secretion of protein from rat exocrine pancreas cells

Our earlier work demonstrated that the rate of protein synthesis in the exocrine cells of the rat pancreas is constant in different physiological states, including prolonged fasting. In this study we have followed the fate of the protein in the pancreatic cells of the fasting animal in vivo as well as in vitro. The data were obtained by quantitative radioautography and by biochemical determinations. In nonanesthesized, fasting rats, without cannulated pancreatic duct, some 80% of the proteins synthesized at a given time leaves the cell within 12 hr by way of secretion, intracellular breakdown not being important. Two mechanisms of fasting secretion exist. The first, starting at a slow rate after 20 min, is inferred to result from fortuitous contacts of young secretory granules with the apical cell membrane. The rate of secretion is the same in vivo as in vitro, at least during the first 4 hr after pulse labeling. Within 7 hr about 20% of the total amount of newly synthesized protein has left the cell. The second mechanism consists of an orderly movement of the mass of secretory granules towards the apical cell membrane as caused by the continuous assembly of new granules. The granules that come into contact with the cell membrane are discharged. It takes about 7-12 hr for secretory protein transported in this way to reach the cell membrane. The addition of new secretory granules to those present is essential for the second mechanism, for the blockade of protein synthesis by cycloheximide decreases the rate of this phase of secretion without interfering with the secretory process proper. Atropin does not inhibit the fasting secretion in vitro, nor does extensive washing of the tissue slices, excluding possible secretagogues as important factors in fasting secretion.