PYY in brain stem nuclei induces vagal stimulation of gastric acid secretion in rats.

The influence of peptide YY (PYY) microinjected into brain stem nuclei on gastric acid secretion (GAS) was investigated in urethan-anesthetized rats with gastric cannula. PYY (30-200 ng) microinjected into the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMN) induces a dose-related and vagal-dependent stimulation of GAS (net increase from 13 +/- 4 to 59 +/- 12 mumol/90 min). PYY (200 ng) injected intravenously intracisternally into sites adjacent to the DMN had no effect. GAS induced by PYY into the DMN was potentiated by coinjection of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH, 30 ng) or the serotonin receptor (5-HT2) agonist (+/-)-1-(4-methyl-1-piperazinyl)-pyrrolo(1,2-a)quinoxaline (357 ng) and by microinjection of kainic acid (1 ng) into the raphe pallidus. Prepro-TRH-(160-169) (200 ng into the DMN) did not influence the stimulatory effect of PYY. PYY (200 ng) microinjected into the raphe pallidus, raphe obscurus, and nucleus ambiguous also increased GAS, although the response was of shorter duration than that in the DMN. These results indicate that PYY acts in brain stem nuclei involved in the vagal regulation of GAS and that PYY action in the DMN is potentiated by TRH or 5-HT2 receptor agonist acting at this site.