Elicidation by a H-2-receptor antagonist of the significance of mucosal histamine mobilization in exciting acid secretion.

1. The consequence of H-2-receptor blockade for the secretory responses of the gastric mucosa to hormonal or cholinergic stimulation was studied in conscious rats with Heindenhain pouches or Pavlov pouches with the antrum retained or resected. 2. Metiamide almost completely abolished acid secretion induced by pentagastrin without altering significantly the amount of histamine excreted in the urine. Histamine mobilization on pentagastrin infusion determined in vitro, seemed to be larger during H-2-receptor blockade than with pentagastrin alone. 3. CCK-PZ mobilized mucosal histamine to a considerable extent; the secretory response to this hormone was completely abolished by H-2-receptor blockade. 4. Acid secretion in response to 2-deoxy-D-glucose was inhibited by H-2-receptor blockade in the presence or absence of the antrum; however the inhibition was less complete than with hormone-induced secretion. 5. The acid secretory response to 100 mg/kg of 2-deoxy-D-glucose appeared to be less susceptible to H-2-receptor blockade than that of 50-mg/kg of 2-deoxy-D-glucose. 6. Feeding induced a secretory response in the Pavlov pouch which initially was more effectively inhibited by H-2-receptor blockade than the response to 2-deoxy-D-glucose. In the absence of antral gastrin secretion by either stimulus was equally inhibited. 7. Methacholine-induced acid secretion was inhibited by infusion of the H-2-receptor antagonist, an inhibition that was absent when pentagastrin was concomitantly infused. 8. Although acid secretion induced by cholinergic stimuli was readily inhibited by the H-2-receptor antagonist, slight or nor inhibition was noted on pepsin secretion. 9. The role of histamine as a physiological stimulus for the parietal cell is discussed in view of the fact that the secretory effect of natural stimuli, known or demonstrated to mobilize mucosal histamine, is restrained by H-2-receptor blockade.