Enteric release of vasoactive intestinal peptide after a peptone meal in the dog.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay in plasma from portal and peripheral venous blood obtained from six alert, non-anesthetized dogs before and after gastric infusion of a 10% peptone meal. Mean basal portal and cephalic vein plasma VIP concentrations were 42 +/- 11.7 and 42 +/- 8.0 (S.E.M.) pg/ml, respectively. No significant changes in peripheral venous plasma VIP concentrations were noted after the peptone meal throughout the duration of the collection period. In contrast, however, the mean VIP concentration in portal plasma increased promptly after the peptone meal with a peak of 79 +/- 8.2 pg/ml (P less than 0.02) occurring 8 min after infusion of the meal. This was followed by a gradual decline in portal plasma VIP levels, with a return to prefeeding concentrations at 60 min (44 +/- 6.3 pg/ml). Results of these studies demonstrate that following gastric infusion of a peptone meal in the dog, portal, but not peripheral, plasma VIP concentrations increase significantly. Failure to detect augmentation of peripheral vein VIP levels after the meal is probably due to hepatic clearance of VIP.