Clinical application of gastroenteropancreatic hormones (glucagon and gastrin) radioimmunoassay developed at IPEN-CNEN/SP: an overview

A pancreatic glucagon and gastrin radioimmunoassays employing specific antiseruns were developed at IPEN. Both of the hormones were radioiodinated by the chloramine T technique and purified on QAE-Sephadex A25 to a specific activity of around 250 μCi/μg. The standard curves allowed measurements from 2 to 150 pmol/l with acceptable intra and inter-assay precision. Fasting glucagon levels determined in diabetics, obese subjects, acromegalics and patients with Cushing's syndrome were greater than in normals (6.3 +- 26 pmol/l; mean +- SD). Fasting gastrin values estimated in chagastics, patients with pernicious anemia, chronic renal failure and an unique patient with Zollinger-Ellinson's syndrome were greater than in normals (16.4 +- 15 pmol/l), while in the patients submitted to gastrectomy the gastrin leves were very low, as expected