Mechanism of gastric alkaline response in the stomach after damage. Roles of nitric oxide and prostaglandins.

The gastric mucosa responds to hypertonic NaCl by significantly decreasing acid secretion. We examined the role of nitric oxide (NO) in this phenomenon in comparison with endogenous prostaglandins (PGs). A rat stomach was mounted in an ex vivo chamber, perfused with saline, and the potential difference (PD), pH, and acid/alkaline responses were measured before and after the application of hypertonic NaCl (1 mol/liter) with or without pretreatment with NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; an inhibitor of NO biosynthesis) or indomethacin (a cyclooxygenase inhibitor). NaCl at 1 M caused a PD reduction, a decrease in acid secretion, and an increase in luminal HCO3-. Prior administration of L-NAME (5 mg/kg, intravenously) as well as indomethacin (5 mg/kg, subcutaneously) did not affect PD and HCO3- responses, but significantly attenuated the inhibitory effect of 1 M NaCl on acid secretion, although the effect of L-NAME was more potent when compared to indomethacin. This effect of L-NAME was antagonized by the simultaneous administration of L-arginine but not by D-arginine (200 mg/kg, intravenously), whereas the effect of indomethacin was completely reversed by PGE2 (100 micrograms/kg, intravenously). The histamine-stimulated acid secretion in the normal stomach was significantly decreased by nitroprusside (the exogenous NO donor; 4 mg/kg, intravenously) and PGE2, but not by either L-NAME or indomethacin. These results suggest that in addition to PGs, NO is involved in the mechanism of the gastric alkaline response after damage with 1 M NaCl. Irritation of the gastric mucosa by hypertonic NaCl may release endogenous NO and PGs, both of which in turn inhibit acid secretion and unmask luminal alkalinization due to HCO3- flux in the damaged portion.