Role of Glucagon in Gastric Hyperdynamic Circulation of Cirrhotic Portal Hypertension

Takanori Yoshida, Yoshinobu Mitarai, Michio Kobayashi

The Department of Surgery I, Medical College of Oita

The role of glucagon as a blood-borne mediator of the gastric hyperdynamic circulation associated with liver cirrhosis was assessed by clinical and experimental studies. Clinical study: Both mucosal and submucosal blood flow in the gastric body was measured by the hydrogen gas clearance method through endoscopy in 42 patients including 30 cirrhotics and 12 non-cirrhotic controls. Furthermore, arterial glucagon concentration (IRG), left gastric venous blood pO₂ (LGV-p₂) and radial arterial blood pO₂ (A-pO₂) were measured in the cirrhotics. (1) The patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension showed reduced blood flow in the gastric mucosal layer, but increased flow in the submucosal layer, as compared with the controls. (2) The gastric submucosal blood flow was significantly correlated with IRG (r=0.430, p<0.05). (3) There was a significant correlation between IRG and LGV-pO₂/A-pO₂ (r=0.545, p<0.05). Experimental study: Hyperglucagonemia was produced in 10 hamsters by inoculation of the In-R1-G9 cell line. Blood flow of the stomach was measured by the laser-Doppler velocimetry method. (4) The gastric blood flow in the hyperglucagonemic hamsters was higher than in the normal controls [3.90±0.28 vs. 3.22 ±0.10 V (mean±SD), p<0.001). The results of these studies support the hypothesis that glucagon mediates a protion of the gastric hyperdynamic circulation associated with liver cirrhotic portal hypertension.

Key words
portal hypertension, liver cirrhosis, gastric hyperdynamic circulation, glucagon, hyperglucagonemic hamster

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Takanori Yoshida The Department of Surgery I, Medical College of Oita
1-1 Idaigaoka, Hasama-machi, Oita-gun, Oita, 879-56 JAPAN

Accepted
February 14, 1990

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