Effect of glucagon on secretin-stimulated bile flow

The effect of glucagon on secretin-stimulated bile flow was evaluated in dogs with chronic biliary and gastric fistulas. Evaluation of the effects of secretin and glucagon alone on hepatic bile flow indicated that the calculated maximal response (CMR) values of the two agents were similar. Secretin increased the bicarbonate concentration in hepatic bile whereas glucagon did not, suggesting basic differences in mechanism of action. Administration of glucagon to secretin-stimulated bile flow produced an increase in bile flow while decreasing the bicarbonate concentration in secretin-stimulated bile. Since the maximal response for bile flow to glucagon and secretin was significantly greater than the maximal response to either agent alone, glucagon produced potentiation of secretin-stimulated bile. Glucagon increased the CMR value of secretin-stimulated bile from 513 mul/min for secretin alone to 692 mul/min for secretin and glucagon. This was associated with no significant change in the values of the respective D50S. These data suggest that glucagon produced a noncompetitive augmentation of secretin-stimulated bile flow and suggest that the two agents do not utilize the same receptor to stimulate bile flow.