[14C]leucine incorporation into proteins of pancreatic juice in rats fed soya-bean flour

Abstract

1. The effect of a diet containing a trypsin inhibitor on the incorporation of radioactively labelled leucine into the pancreatic proteins secreted during stimulation with cholecystokinin-pancreozymin (CCK) was studied in rats. 2. The total output of protein was significantly greater in the rats given raw soya-bean flour (RSF) compared with those given heat-inactivated soya-bean flour (HSF) (controls) in response to the sub- and supramaximal stimulation with CCK, but similar responses were obtained to maximal stimulation with CCK. Total protein output decreased continuously with time after reaching peak values at 90--120 min after the start of stimulation with CCK. 3. The total output of radioactively labelled protein in RSF-fed rats was not different from that of the controls with sub- and supramaximal dose rats of CCK, but was significantly lower than that of the controls in response to the dose rate of CCK which produced maximal rates of pancreatic secretion. 4. The specific activity of radioactively labelled protein increased continuously, while the output attained a constant rate during stimulation with all doses of CCK. 5. We concluded that feeding the trypsin inhibitor-containing diet led to increased secretion of stored pancreatic protein, while secretion of newly synthesized protein was not altered. During the course of prolonged stimulation with CCK, irrespective of diet, there was increasing secretion of the newly synthesized protein compared with the pre-existing stored proteins of the pancreas, it was unable to compensate for the decreased secretion of pre-formed protein.