Abnormal processing of antral gastrin in active duodenal ulcer disease

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Abstract
Concentrations of gastrins containing the active C-terminal tetrapeptide amide (mainly gastrin-34 and gastrin-17) and the N-terminal tridecapeptide fragment of gastrin-17 were measured in antral and duodenal biopsy specimens. Antral concentration of the N-terminal gastrin fragment was much higher in patients with active duodenal ulcer (33.4 .+-. 6.8 nmol g-1, mean .+-. SEM, n = 15) than in controls (5.6 .+-. 2.9 nmol g-1, n = 10), patients with gastric ulcer (5.6 .+-. 1.8 nmol g-1, n = 10) or patients with pernicious anemia (7.7 .+-. 2.5 nmol g-1, n = 6). No differencs were found between the groups regarding gastrin-34 and gastrin-17 concentrations. In duodenal extracts, N- and C-terminal gastrin concentrations were similar in all groups of patients. Posttranslational processing of antral gastrin may be abnormal in patients with active duodenal ulcer disease.