Pancreatic secretion of zinc and carboxypeptidase A and B in growing pigs

The secretion of zinc and the level of carboxypeptidase A and B activity in pancreatic juice were studied in three pigs fitted with a pancreatic pouch re-entrant cannula (PM pigs) and three different pigs with a catheter surgically implanted in their pancreatic duct (CM pigs). The zinc in the pancreatic juice appeared to be primarily associated with carboxypeptidase A and B. Both the concentration of zinc in pancreatic juice and the daily secretion of zinc in PM pigs were greater than in CM pigs. However, compared to the daily intake of zinc, its secretion in pancreatic juice was low. The specific activity levels of carboxypeptidase A and B in pancreatic juice collected from PM pigs were higher than in CM pigs. The total activity of carboxypeptidase A in pancreatic juice did not differ between collection methods. The total activity of carboxypeptidase B was higher in pancreatic juice collected from PM than from CM pigs. The differences in zinc and carboxypeptidase secretion between PM and CM pigs were probably due to physiological changes induced following the different surgical preparations of the animals. (C) Inra/Elsevier, Paris.