STIMULATORY EFFECTS OF HUMAN PANCREATIC-POLYPEPTIDE ON RAT PANCREATIC ACINI

The effect of human pancreatic polypeptide (HPP) on rat pancreatic acini has been studied. It was found that HPP stimulated amylase and lipase release from the acini. The secretory response of acini to HPP was dose-dependent in a sigmoidal fashion. Between 10-9 M and 10-8 M concentration of HPP there was a slow increase of enzyme release to about 40-60% over basal release. At concentrations of HPP above 10-8 M there was a rapid increase of enzyme release, amounting to 4-6 times over basal release at 10-6 M concentration of HPP. The potency of HPP compared to other secretagogues at 10-7 M concentration was 45% of CCK, 60% of carbachol and 75% of secretin. HPP did not inhibit the effect of CCK, secretin and carbachol on amylase release. The amylase release stimulated by HPP was accompanied by an increase in 45Ca2+ efflux. Atropine or dibutyryl cyclic GMP did not influence the effect of HPP. It is concluded that HPP stimulates the release of enzymes from rat pancreatic acini and that Ca2+ may be a mediator for this secretion.