Afferent electrical stimulation of mesenteric nerves inhibits duodenal HCO3- secretion via a spinal reflex activation of the splanchnic nerves in the rat.

The experiments were performed on male Sprague-Dawley rats anaesthetized with chloralose. Duodenal HCO3- secretion was measured in situ by pH-stat titration. The nerves bundles surrounding two randomly chosen mesenteric vessels were electrically stimulated (3 Hz, supramaximal intensity) in the afferent direction. This was done in order to mimic the intestino-intestinal spinal reflex activation of the splanchnic sympathetic fibres. The procedure reduced duodenal HCO3- secretion by 20% together with an increase in mean arterial pressure and heart rate. Duodenal HCO3- secretion decreased similarly in control rats and in those subjected to a cervical cord transection, whereas animals with bilaterally cut splanchnic nerves did not respond to such mesenteric nerve stimulation. Pharmacological pretreatment with guanethidine or yohimbine, but not prazosin, inhibited the reduction in duodenal HCO3- secretion. Thus the data suggest that electrical stimulation of mesenteric afferent nerves inhibits duodenal HCO3- secretion via a spinal reflex activation of splanchnic sympathetic nerve fibres to the duodenum, and that the response is mediated via alpha 2 adrenoceptors.