Stimulation with cholecystokinin leads to increased ratio between mRNA levels for anionic and cationic trypsinogen in rat pancreas

An increased ratio between serum levels of immunoreactive anionic and cationic trypsin is a common finding in many forms of pancreatic disease. Experimental studies have shown that increased stimulation with cholecystokinin (CCK) leads to an increase in the ratio between the pancreatic content of anionic and cationic trypsin. To study whether this effect is caused by increased pancreatic synthesis of anionic trypsin in relation to cationic trypsin we studied the levels of mRNA for anionic and cationic trypsinogen in pancreatic extracts from rats exposed to increased CCK levels through chronic subcutaneous administration of CCK. Northern blot and slot blot hybridization techniques were used. The ratio between mRNAs for anionic and cationic trypsin was significantly higher in CCK-treated rats: median level, 2.04 (range, 1.33-4.08) versus a median level of 1.15 (range, 0.97-2.17) in the control group; P < 0.01. These findings support the view that chronic CCK stimulation leads to the increased synthesis of anionic trypsinogen compared to cationic trypsinogen.