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In seven conscious dogs with esophagostomies and gastric cannulas, the acid, gastrin, and somatostatinlike immunoreactivity (SLI) responses to 5-min sham feeding with or without pretreatment with atropine sulfate (20 and 100 micrograms/kg) were measured. The responses to bethanechol (100 micrograms X kg-1 X h-1), to bombesin (0.5 micrograms X kg-1 X h-1) with or without pretreatment with atropine sulfate, and to a combined stimulation with bethanechol and bombesin were also measured. Sham feeding resulted in an increase in plasma SLI concentration (basal level, 20.4 +/- 4.2 pg/ml; maximally stimulated level, 46.8 +/- 5.6 pg/ml; P less than 0.01). After the injection of atropine the integrated SLI response to sham feeding was significantly decreased but not suppressed. Infusion of bethanechol did not alter SLI plasma levels. Bombesin infused alone increased the plasma SLI concentration (basal level, 15.6 +/- 2.3 pg/ml; maximally stimulated level, 55.6 +/- 10.3 pg/ml; P less than 0.01). The integrated SLI response to bombesin was significantly decreased by atropine but not significantly changed by bethanechol. These studies show that sham feeding and bombesin release somatostatin. They suggest that somatostatin release is largely under vagal-cholinergic control.

In 4 conscious dogs with gastric fistulas the somatostatin responses to a meal were measured and compared to the responses seen after i.v. infusion of atropine sulfate (20 and 50 micrograms.kg-1.h-1) or cimetidine (8 mg.kg-1.h-1). The experiments were repeated after truncal vagotomy. The somatostatin responses to bombesin (0.5 micrograms.kg-1.h-1) were also measured before and after vagotomy. Vagotomy decreased basal and postprandial somatostatin levels and reduced the somatostatin responses to feeding during the first 30-min period following the ingestion of the meal but not during subsequent periods. Bombesin-induced somatostatin release was increased after vagotomy. Atropine decreased the somatostatin responses to the meal before and after vagotomy. Cimetidine had no significant effect. These studies suggest that, in conscious dogs, somatostatin released into the circulation is partly under vagal control and that, as for gastrin release, vagal pathways for stimulation and inhibition are present. Our studies also suggest that cholinergic mechanisms are involved in the control of postprandial somatostatin release.

The effect of acute suppression of acid secretion induced by administration of a single dose of omeprazole (2 mg/kg body wt) on postprandial gastrin release was studied in 10 conscious dogs. In omeprazole-treated dogs, a sustained gastrin release was observed during a 10-h period after feeding, although greater than 95% of the meal had left the stomach after 4 h. This sustained gastrin release could be inhibited by acidification of the gastric lumen, by somatostatin, and by atropine. Insulin and bombesin induced considerable gastrin release in omeprazole-treated dogs, but plasma gastrin concentrations returned almost to basal values after 3 h. Omeprazole administered alone had no significant effect on basal gastrin levels. These data indicate that, in dogs, when acid secretion is suppressed by omeprazole a meal induces a sustained gastrin release lasting for up to 10 h. This gastrin release is probably related to the fact that food has been in contact with the gastric lumen, as neither vagal nor bombesin stimulation induced such a sustained activity of the G cells.

The effect of meal upon the catabolism and activity of exogenous gastrin was tested in 4 antrectomized and 4 non antrectomized dogs with Heidenhain pouches. In both antrectomized and non antrectomized dogs infused with exogenous gastrin, the meal decreased the serum gastrin level. This decrease amounted to about 20%, 60 minutes after feeding and the gastrinemia then returned gradually to control levels. In non antrectomized dogs, infusion of a near maximal dose of gastrin increased the acid response to the meal to a level above the maximal histamine acid output. Exogenous gastrin also increased the acid response to a meal in antrectomized dogs. These data indicate: 1) That feeding increases the metabolic clearance rate of exogenous gastrin. This effect could be at least partly related to changes in the intestinal blood flow. 2) That, after feeding, one or several hormones capable of stimulating the acid secretion but unrelated to gastrin are probably released. These hormones could be of major importance in the response of denervated pouches to feeding.

The effects of sham feeding and of cimetidine, an inhibitor of gastric acid secretion, used alone or in combination on the gastric emptying of liquids were studied in four dogs fitted with a gastric fistula and a Komarov esophagostomy. Gastric emptying of a 290-ml water meal was slowed by sham feeding but not by cimetidine. Our experiments indicate that, in dogs, sham feeding slows gastric emptying of liquids by a mechanism independent of the acid secretion induced by vagal stimulation.

In dogs with denervated Heidenhain pouches and gastric cannulas the authors studied the action of met-enkephalin on acid secretion stimulated by a liquid meal, pentagastrin or pentagastrin + bethanechol. Serum gastrin levels were determined during the feeding experiments. Meal-stimulated and pentagastrin-stimulated acid secretion from the gastric fistula were inhibited by met-enkephalin. A rise in pentagastrin-induced acid secretion was observed in the denervated stomach. No significant changes were observed in the postprandial acid response from the pouch to the meal, nor from the main stomach or the pouch during stimulation with pentagastrin + bethanechol. Gastrin release was decreased by met-enkephalin during the first hour following feeding and increased during the second hour. Our data indicate that met-enkephalin can either inhibit or stimulate acid secretion in dogs. The inhibition occurs only in the innervated fundic mucosa, and might be explained by a decrease in gastrin release and by a decrease in vagal tone.