The effect of neuropeptide Y and peptide YY on electrogenic ion transport in rat intestinal epithelia.

1. Neuropeptide Y (NPY), peptide YY (PYY) and, to a lesser extent, human pancreatic polypeptide (HPP) reduced short-circuit current (SCC) in a concentration-dependent manner in epithelial preparations of rat jejunum and descending colon. 2. From concentration-response curves in the jejunum EC50 values of 3 nM for PYY and 10 nM for NPY were obtained. HPP was much less potent, the threshold concentration being around 100 nM, and NPY 13-36 was inactive. 3. Repeated exposure of jejunal preparations to either NPY or PYY led to a rapid desensitization. Cross-desensitization to the actions of these two peptides was also observed. Neither tetrodotoxin (TTX) nor phentolamine affected responses to either NPY or PYY on the jejunum. 4. Responses to both peptides were inhibited by the presence of transport inhibitors, particularly diphenylamine-2-carboxylate (DPC, a chloride channel blocker) and piretanide (Na+-K+-2Cl- co-transport inhibitor). These results may indicate that the reduction in SCC caused by the neuropeptides is due to a net increase in chloride movement in the apical to basolateral direction. 5. 36Cl-flux studies identified an inhibition of chloride secretion as the predominant mechanism of action of NPY and PYY, together with a smaller stimulation of chloride absorption. No significant changes in the movement of 22Na were seen in either direction. 6. The cyclo-oxygenase inhibitors piroxicam (5 microM) and indomethacin (5 microM) significantly reduced the responses to both NPY and PYY in rat jejunum. From this and other evidence it was concluded that the peptides depended for their effect on the endogenous formation of eicosanoids, the prevention of which attenuated the SCC reduction due to the peptides.