Adrenalectomy and pentagastrin effects on gastrointestinal cholinergic enzyme activities.

The present study examined the effects of pentagastrin and adrenalectomy on choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and acetylcholine esterase (AChE), enzymes which synthesize and degrade acetylcholine in the rat gastrointestinal tract. Adrenalectomized and non-adrenalectomized rats, 14 and 21 days old, were treated with either pentagastrin (250 micrograms/kg i.p.) or saline for 7 days. Rats were sacrificed at 21 and 28 days of age. Adrenalectomy- and pentagastrin-treated 21-day-old rats had greater ChAT activities than those treated with pentagastrin alone, while AChE activities were higher in the pentagastrin-treated group. Adrenalectomy- and pentagastrin-treated 28-day-old rats had lower levels of activity as compared to pentagastrin-treated rats. The adrenal gland does appear to influence the response of cholinergic enzyme activities to pentagastrin.