Adenylate cyclase and phosphodiesterase in the rat gastric mucosa after starvation, feeding and pentagastrin.

The effects of starvation, feeding and pentagastrin on gastric mucosal adenylate cyclase (AC) and phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity were studied in the rat. 1. Starvation for 24 hrs and 48 hrs reduced both NaF stimulated and basal AC activities. 2. Feeding of starved rats slowly raised the AC activity up to 430% within 4 hrs after feeding. This effect was more pronounced under basal conditions than with NaF stimulation. 3. A single i.p. injection of pentagastrin (125 mug/kg) caused a stimulation of basal AC lasting 45 min, which was followed by a subsequent decrease in the basal and NaF stimulated enzyme activity. 4. PDE activity was not influenced by starvation and feeding but underwent a transient inhibition by pentagastrin. Accordingly gastric mucosal cAMP levels after starvation, feeding and pentagastrin are regulated by changes in AC and not in PDE activity. The rise in AC activity after feeding appears to be related to functions other than H+ and pepsin secretion.