Cyclic AMP in pancreatic acinar cells: effects of gastrointestinal hormones.

In the presence of 5 mM theophylline, secretin and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) each increased cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) in acinar cells isolated from guinea pig pancreas. Without theophylline, neither peptide altered cellular cyclic AMP. Glucagon, which is similar to secretin and VIP both in chemical structure and spectrum of biologic activities, neither stimulated cellular cyclic AMP nor inhibited the stimulation produced by secretin or by VIP. Other agents which were tested and found not to increase cellular cyclic AMP were cholecystokinin, carboxyl-terminal octapeptide of cholecystokinin, gastrin I, gastrin II, bovine pancreatic polypeptide, carbamylcholine, and prostaglandin E1. Neither carboxyl-terminal octapeptide nor gastrin I altered the stimulation of cellular cyclic AMP produced by secretin or VIP. With natural secretin a significant increase in cellular cyclic AMP could be detected at concentrations as low as 3 x 10(-10) M and maximal stimulation occurred at 10(-8) M. VIP was approximately 1% as potent as natural secretin and maximal concentrations of secretin plus VIP increased cellular cyclic AMP to the same value as was obtained with a maximal concentration of secretin alone.