Effects of isopropylnoradrenaline on tachyphylaxis of gastrin stimulated gastric acid secretion and mucosal blood flow in the anaesthetized cat

Fade and tachyphylaxis of gastric acid secretory response to pentagastrin in rat isolated gastric mucosa

1. Gastric acid secretory responses to pentagastrin were characterized in the rat isolated gastric mucosa. In particular, the mechanisms underlying fade, declining response upon continued stimulation, and tachyphylaxis, progressively reduced responses upon repeated stimulation, were investigated. 2. Pentagastrin, 10(-9)-10(-7) M, resulted in concentration-related increases in acid secretion, with a mean maximum of 2.65 mumol cm-2 h-1 in response to pentagastrin, 10(-7) M. Higher concentrations of pentagastrin produced sub-maximal secretory rates; we define this as auto-inhibition. The responses to all concentrations of pentagastrin demonstrated fade. The rate of fade was correlated with the maximum acid secretory rate, declining at about 36% of the peak over the first 16 min. 3. The PO2, PCO2, [HCO3-], pH, [glucose], [lactate], [Na+] and [K+] did not decline during the fade of the acid secretory response to pentagastrin, 10(-7) M. Addition of a second aliquot of pentagastrin was not able to reverse fade, but these tissues were responsive to histamine. Replacement of the serosal solution, before addition of a second aliquot of pentagastrin, increased the acid response from 3% to 24% of the first response. 4. Serosal solution from donor tissues, allowed to respond to pentagastrin and then the acid secretion to fade, was able to stimulate secretion in fresh recipient tissues, although at lower rates. 5. Acid secretory responses to a second dose of pentagastrin were not significantly different, whether the tissues were previously unstimulated, or stimulated with pentagastrin washed out after attaining its peak secretory response (after 10-20 min). The second response was significantly reduced if the first response was allowed to fade with the pentagastrin in contact for 100 min; i.e. fade significantly influenced the extent of tachyphylaxis. 6. Proglumide, 10(-2) M, a gastrin receptor antagonist, and omeprazole, 10(-5) M, an inhibitor of the gastric (H+ + K+)-ATPase, both inhibited pentagastrin-stimulated acid secretion to similar extents. The second response to pentagastrin after pentagastrin alone, or pentagastrin plus omeprazole were both reduced compared to responses after no stimulation or omeprazole alone, respectively. After pentagastrin plus proglumide, the second response to pentagastrin was not lower than after proglumide alone. Proglumide, but not omeprazole, therefore, prevented pentagastrin tachyphylaxis. 7. It is concluded that gastrin fade and tachyphylaxis are related phenomena. Part of the fade may be due to release of an inhibitor(s). The major proportion of tachyphylaxis is a result of specific interaction of gastrin with its receptors.

Investigation of mechanism of fade of gastrin-stimulated gastric acid secretion in the cat

1. In conscious cats prepared with gastric fistulae gastric acid secretion in response to pentagastrin was found to reach a maximum after 45 min of stimulation, and to fade thereafter. Over the period 45-150 min of stimulation the fade was 5.4-7.8% of the maximum response per 15 min. 2. Once the response to pentagastrin had declined, acid secretion could not be restored by doubling the dose of pentagastrin, although an equisecretory dose of histamine could restore it. 3. Low doses of histamine were additive to the pentagastrin acid secretory response; they tended to prolong the peak response, but did not alter the subsequent fade of acid secretion. The histamine H1-receptor antagonist mepyramine did not affect maximal acid secretion or the fade of the pentagastrin response. 4. The beta-adrenoreceptor antagonist propranolol increased the secretory response to pentagastrin, whilst the alpha-adrenoreceptor antagonist phentolamine was without effect. Neither agent altered the fade of the pentagastrin response. Isoprenaline tended to inhibit pentagastrin-stimulated acid secretion and increase the rate of fade of the response. 5. The 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptor antagonist methylsergide slightly enhanced the acid secretory response to pentagastrin, but did not alter the fade of the response. A low dose of 5-HT did not alter pentagastrin-stimulated acid secretion, whilst a higher dose of 5-HT inhibited it. 6. Tetra-, penta- and pentadecagastrin demonstrated tachyphylaxis, i.e. progressively reduced responses upon repeated stimulation, whilst histamine did not. A low dose of histamine did not prevent tachyphylaxis of the pentagastrin response. 7. It is concluded that fade of pentagastrin-stimulated acid secretion in the conscious cat cannot be satisfactorily explained by the failure of the acid secretory mechanism, depletion of histamine, release of 5-HT, or activation of histamine H1-, alpha- or beta-adreno-, or 5-HT-receptors. The similar characteristics of fade and tachyphylaxis of gastrin-stimulated acid secretion are consistent with a common gastrin receptor inactivation or desensitization mechanism.

Absence of tachyphylaxis in gastric acid secretion during pentagastrin infusion

Tachyphylaxis to stimulation of gastric juice secretion during intravenous pentagastrin (PG) infusion has been reported in animal studies. We assessed the course of gastric response to PG 2 micrograms/kg/hr over eight hours in eight healthy subjects. Peak H+, pepsin, and volume secretions occurred during the second half hour of stimulation. Peak H+ output was 11.6 +/- 1.3 mmol/0.5 hr or 7.6 +/- 0.8% of the total eight-hour secretion. During subsequent half-hour collection intervals, there was no significant decline in response, and the average output was 10.3 +/- 0.4 mmol/0.5 hr (6.5 +/- 0.1%). Peak pepsin and volume secretions were respectively 10.0 +/- 1.4% (74.8 +/- 11.6 mg/0.5 hr) and 8.8 +/- 1.1% (146.3 +/- 17.4 mL/0.5 hr) of the total eight-hour secretion. Although there was a significant decline in pepsin and volume response subsequent to the peak output, the decline was not continuous, and pepsin and volume secretions were maintained, respectively, at 6.0 +/- 0.2% (46.1 +/- 2.5 mg/0.5 hr) and 6.2 +/- 0.1% (107.5 +/- 3.0 mL/0.5 hr) of the total eight-hour secretion. Our study did not demonstrate any tachyphylaxis in H+ response to continuous PG stimulation. This model appears to be a valid tool for the assessment of histamine-H2 antagonist effects on stimulated gastric juice secretion over 8 hours in humans.

Effects of beta-adrenoceptor drug stimulation on various models of gastric ulcer in rats

1. Experiments were designed to evaluate the effect of the pharmacological activation of beta-adrenoceptors on various models of gastric ulcer in the rat. 2. Pretreatment with the beta-adrenoceptor stimulant drugs, isoprenaline or salbutamol, significantly inhibited stress-induced gastric ulcers. This anti-ulcer effect was abolished by propranolol but not by atenolol, suggesting that beta 2-adrenoceptors mediate this response. 3. In the pylorus-ligation model, salbutamol inhibited lesion formation and reduced the intragastric content of hydrogen ions, histamine and pepsin although the latter was only affected with the higher dose of salbutamol. 4. Salbutamol also prevented the ulcerogenic action on the gastric mucosa of an exogenously perfused artificial gastric juice, showing that the anti-ulcer effect is not necessarily dependent on acid inhibition. 5. Salbutamol also reduced the formation of acute ulcers induced by various iatrogenic means (histamine, polymyxin B, reserpine and indomethacin). 6. Long-term treatment with salbutamol accelerated the healing of experimental chronic gastric ulcer. 7. In anaesthetized rats, salbutamol produced a dose-related increase in mucosal blood flow which may contribute to its mode of action. 8. It is concluded that beta-adrenoceptor agonists exert preventive and curative effects on gastric damage induced in the rat. This effect seems specific and mediated through beta-adrenoceptor activation.

The effect of catecholamines on gastric mucosal flow

The effect of intravenous administration of adrenaline, noradrenaline, and isoprenaline on gastric mucosal flow, measured by hydrogen clearance techniques, showed that small doses of adrenaline induced slight mucosal vasodilatation in anaesthetized cats. In both anaesthetized and conscious animals both noradrenaline and large doses of adrenaline produced mucosal vasoconstriction, whereas isoprenaline increased gastric mucosal flow. Similar effects were observed in acute experiments after vagotomy. In the awake animal noradrenaline, adrenaline, and isoprenaline depressed pentagastrin-stimulated acid secretion.

Inhibition of external pancreatic secretion by intracolonic and intraileal infusions in the cat

1. Infusions of oleic acid into the colon or the distal part of the ileum in anaesthetized cats inhibits secretion of water and amylase by the pancreas, stimulated by secretin and pancreozymin. Intraileal infusions of other non-water-soluble substances or hypertonic solutions can also inhibit the pancreas. 2. As inhibition can be produced after extrinsic denervation of the pancreas and gut, it must in part be humorally mediated. 3. Pentagastrin-stimulated gastric secretion of acid and pepsin is also inhibited by the intraileal infusions, but the inhibition of acid secretion is less than that of pancreatic secretion. 4. It is suggested that the physiological counterpart of the inhibitory effects induced by the infusion of non-physiological solutions into the colon or ileum is an inhibition of pancreatic secretion brought about by the cessation of intestinal absorption, which marks the completion of the post-prandial digestive process.

Exogenous prostaglandins and gastric secretion in the cat

1. In the conscious gastric fistula cate PGE2 was shown to produce dose-related inhibition of gastric acid and pepsin secreted in response to pentagastrin, histamine and insulin. 2. PGF2alpha had little effect on pentagastrin-stimulated gastric acid and pepsin secretion. 3PGF2 delayed the tachyphylaxis of gastric acid stimulated by pentagastrin and histamine, but not that stimulated by insulin. 4. Although not delaying tachyphylaxis of insulin stimulated acid, PGE2 delayed tachyphylaxis of insulin stimulated pepsin.

Characteristics and tachyphylaxis of gastrin-stimulated gastric acid secretion in the cat

1. The characteristics of gastrin-stimulated gastric acid secretion were investigated in conscious cats fitted with chronic cannulated gastric fistulae, with particular reference to tachyphylaxis. 2. There is a significant postive correlation between the peak acid secretion in response to pentagastrin 8 microgram kg-1 hr-1 and body weight. Male cats secret significantly greater amounts of acid in response to pentagastrin than females. The difference is lessened, but not eliminated, by expressing the acid out put in terms of body weight. 3. Pentagastrin stimulates a dose-dependent increase in acid secretion in the range 0.5-32 microgram kg-1 hr-1 when the response to each dose is assayed on separate occasions. Pentagastrin 64 microgram kg-1 hr-1 does not produce a further increase in acid secretion. The acid response to pentagastrin 1-16 microgram kg-1 hr-1 assayed on a single occasion by a continuous infusion method shows a dose-response relationship up to 8 microgram kg-1 hr-1 when it reaches a plateau of secretion. There is no difference between the two methods of assaying the gastric acid stimulating activity using doses of pentagastrin up to 8 microgram kg-1 hr-1. 4 The acid secretion in response to pentagastrin 8 microgram kg-1 hr-1 reaches a maximum after 45 min of stimulation and thereafter shows tachyphylaxis. Over a period of 5 hr there are at least two phases of tachyphylaxis distinguishable. During the period 0.75--2.5 hr of stimulation there is a fast phase of tachyphylaxis (-32.0 muequivH+kg-1 15 min-1). This is followed by a slow phase of tachyphylaxis (-9.4 muequivH+kg-1 15 min-1) up to 5 hr of stimulation. 5. The absolute rate of the fast phase of tachyphylaxis of acid secretion (muequivH+kg-1 15 min-1) increases with increasing doses of pentagastrin, but rates of tachyphylaxis are similar when expressed as a percentage of the peak acid response to the particular dose of pentagastrin (5.1--7.8% 15 min-1). Synthetic human gastrin-17, the synthetic C-terminal decapeptide of human gastrin and the C-terminal tetrapeptide of gastrin have comparable rates of tachyphylaxis. The possible receptor models for the tachyphylaxis of gastrin-stimulated acid secretion are discussed.

The effects of somatostatin and metiamide on tachyphylaxis of pentagastrin stimulated gastric acid and pepsin secretion in the conscious cat

1. Pentagastrin stimulated gastric acid and pepsin secretions show parallel rates of tachyphylaxis in the conscious cat. The responses to histamine show only slight tachyphylaxis. 2. Somatostatin 10 microng.kg(-1).hr(-1) inhibits pentagastrin but not histamine stimulated acid secretion and inhibits pentagastrin stimulated pepsin secretion. 3. The inhibition of pentagastrin stimulated acid and pepsin secretion by Somatostatin delays the tachyphylaxis of these responses, but the rates of tachyphylaxis when they do subsequently occur are identical. 4. Metiamide 10 mg-kg(-1)-hr(-1) equally inhibits histamine and pentagastrin stimulated acid secretion but does not inhibit pentagastrin stimulated pepsin secretion. 5. Inhibiton of acid secretion during metiamide infusion neither prevents nor delays acid nor pepsin tachyphylaxis. 6. It is suggested that tachyphylaxis of acid and pepsin secretion is a gastrin receptor phenomenon and that Somatostatin occupies or modifies the behaviour of these receptors, preventing tachyphylaxis. Metiamide, however, exerts its action only on the histmine H2-receptor and not the gastrin receptor mechanism, and this apparently does not prevent or delay acid tachyphylaxis.