Cytochemical quantification of physiologic regulation of oxyntic cell carbonic anhydrase.

We have studied the physiologic factors regulating oxyntic cell activity using cytochemical quantification of carbonic anhydrase (CA) activity. Gastrin (10 (-16) to 10(-12)M), histamine (10(-17) to 10(-13) M), and carbamylcholine (10(-13) to 10(-8) M) caused a dose-dependent increase in CA in the oxyntic cells in guinea pig gastric fundus, maximal at 90 sec. The stimulation of CA by all three secretagogues was inhibited by the CA inhibitor, acetazolamide. The agonist activities were selectively blocked by respective antagonists. The benzimidazole derivative compound Hassle 149/94 (10(-3)M) abolished the actions of all agonists. Thus, histamine, gastrin and carbamylcholine have independent actions on oxyntic cell CA. The inhibition of the activity of all three secretagogues by H149/94 suggests a close link between CA activity and the functioning of the proton pump H+ + K+-ATPase.