• Endogenous neurotensin facilitates enterohepatic bile acid circulation by enhancing intestinal uptake in rats

      Gui, Xianyong; Dobner, Paul R.; Carraway, Robert E. (2001-11-14)
      Initial studies on the digestive hormone neurotensin (NT) showing that intestinal NT mRNA expression and blood levels were altered in rats fed chow containing bile acid (BA) and the BA chelator cholestyramine led us to investigate the role of NT in the enterohepatic circulation of BA. In fasted, anesthetized rats with common bile ducts cannulated for bile collection, intravenous NT infusion (10 pmol. kg(-1). min(-1)) enhanced BA output relative to control over 3 h in animals administered donor bile into the duodenum (30 microl/min). This suggested that the effect of NT was on the return of BA from the intestine to the liver, which is rate determining in the normal process. In rats prepared as described above and administered [(3)H]taurocholate ([(3)H]TC; 5 mM, 1 ml) duodenally, NT infusion (3-10 pmol x kg(-1) x min(-1)) increased the [(3)H]TC recovery rate in bile approximately twofold, whereas sulfated CCK-8 (12-50 pmol x kg(-1) x min(-1)) had no effect. To investigate the roles of endogenous NT and CCK, we administered [(3)H]TC into the rat duodenum or lower jejunum and tested the effect of the NT antagonist SR-48692 (2 nmol x kg(-1) x min(-1)) or CCK-A antagonist lorglumide (100 nmol x kg(-1) x min(-1)). SR-48692 reduced the [(3)H]TC recovery rate by congruent with 50% and congruent with 24% in the duodenum and jejunum, respectively, whereas lorglumide had no effect. These results suggest that NT or a similar peptide is an endogenous regulator of enterohepatic BA cycling, which acts by enhancing BA uptake in the intestine.
    • Involvement of mast cells in basal and neurotensin-induced intestinal absorption of taurocholate in rats

      Gui, Xianyong; Carraway, Robert E. (2003-12-25)
      Neurotensin (NT), a hormone released from intestine by ingested fat, facilitates lipid digestion by stimulating pancreatic secretion and slowing the movement of chyme. In addition, NT can contract the gall bladder and enhance the enterohepatic circulation (EHC) of bile acids to promote micelle formation. Our recent finding that NT enhanced and an NT antagonist inhibited [(3)H]taurocholate ([(3)H]TC) absorption from proximal rat small intestine indicated a role for endogenous NT in the regulation of EHC. Here, we postulate the involvement of intestinal mast cells in the TC uptake process and in the stimulatory effect of NT. In anesthetized rats with the bile duct cannulated for bile collection, infusion of NT (10 pmol.kg(-1).min(-1)) enhanced the [(3)H]TC recovery rate from duodenojejunum by 2.2-fold. This response was abolished by pretreatment with mast cell stabilizers (cromoglycate, doxantrazole) and inhibitors of mast cell mediators (diphenhydramine, metergoline, zileuton). In contrast, mast cell degranulators (compound 48/80, substance P) and mast cell mediators (histamine, leukotriene C(4)) reproduced the effect of NT. N(G)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester enhanced and l-arginine inhibited basal and NT-induced TC uptake, consistent with the known inhibitory effect of nitric oxide (NO) on mast cell reactivity. These results argue that basal and NT-stimulated TC uptake in rat jejunum are similarly dependent on mast cells, are largely mediated by release of mast cell mediators, and are subject to regulation by NO.