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Influence of Bombesin on Gastrointestinal and Pancreatic Cell Growth in Adult and Suckling Animals
Author(s) -
LEHY T.,
PUCCIO F.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1988.tb23894.x
Subject(s) - bombesin , medicine , biology , endocrinology , receptor , neuropeptide
Chronic administration of bombesin in the adult rat affects cell growth and enzyme activities in the pancreas. It also induces hyperplasia of the fundic mucosa, increases antral gastrin content, and stimulates gastrin cell proliferation in the antral mucosa. These effects could be explained by the release of hormones such as gastrin and CCK, whose trophic roles on the digestive tract are well proven. Some arguments raise the possibility that bombesin may also act directly on these organs (i.e., the presence of specific receptors for bombesin, pancreatic changes induced by bombesin and not blocked by a potent, specific CCK receptor antagonist). It may well be that both mechanisms exist simultaneously. In addition, bombesin has a growth-promoting effect on the gastric mucosa and pancreas of suckling rats when administered either subcutaneously or orogastrically. Keeping in mind that the maternal milk contains a bombesin-like immunoreactant peptide, we consider that the latter finding raises questions about the possible physiological role of such a peptide in the regulation of the postnatal development of the gastrointestinal tract.