Effect of acetylcholine on the release of pancreatic and gastric somatostatin-like immunoreactivity in normal, chemically sympathectomized and indomethacin-treated dogs.

The present study was designed to determine the effects of intravenously infused acetylcholine on the release of pancreatic and gastric somatostatin-like immunoreactivity (SLI), in anesthetized normal, chemically sympathectomized and Indomethacin-treated prostaglandin deficient dogs. In normal dogs acetylcholine infusion (500 micrograms/min) elicited a significant rise in pancreatic vein, inferior vena cava, fundic and antral vein SLI levels. In the sympathectomized animals the rise in pancreatic and antral vein SLI was not different from the controls, while the rise in fundic vein SLI was abolished, and inferior vena cava plasma SLI levels were reduced. During Indomethacin-induced prostaglandin deficiency, basal SLI levels were reduced significantly, and the acetylcholine-induced stimulation was completely abolished from both stomach and pancreas. It is concluded that in anesthetized dogs the intravenous infusion of acetylcholine stimulates pancreatic and gastric SLI release, and this stimulatory effect depends on the presence of prostaglandins and is modulated by adrenergic mechanisms.