Influence of pineal indoleamines on the mitotic activity of gastric and colonic mucosa epithelial cells in the rat: interaction with omeprazole.

We have investigated the effects of melatonin (Mel) and N-acetylserotonin (NAc-5HT) on the mitotic activity of gastric and colonic mucosa in adult male rats under basal conditions and after an administration of omeprazole (OM) (H+,K(+)-ATPase inhibitor). The metaphase-arrest technique was applied in the study. Additionally, serum gastrin levels were measured by RIA method in the OM-treated group and in respective polyethyleneglycol (PEG)-administered controls. We have found that: 1) OM-treatment increased serum gastrin levels in rats; 2) OM enhanced the mitotic activity of the colonic mucosa cells, although, unexpectedly, it did not exert such an effect on the gastric mucosa cells; 3) Mel suppressed the OM-induced increase of the colonic epithelium cell proliferation, while NAc-5HT failed to reveal that action: 4) NAc-5HT decreased the proliferation of gastric mucosa epithelial cells. The value of the mean mitotic activity rate (MMAR) of gastric mucosa after Mel-treatment also decreased, but that change was not statistically significant. The obtained data are in compliance with previous results from our laboratory concerning the inhibitory effect of pineal indoleamines on the jejunal epithelium mitotic activity. The stimulatory effect of OM on the proliferation of colonic epithelium is probably mediated by OM-induced hypergastrinaemia. The possibility of Mel interaction with intestinal gastrin receptors (a structural similarity occurs between Mel and benzotript, a specific gastrin receptor antagonist), as well as of the opposite effects of Mel and gastrin on intracellular cAMP content in the gut, are considered in the discussion of results.