Specificity of phospholipase D activation by cholecystokinin and phorbol myristate acetate but not by carbamylcholine and A23187 in rat pancreatic acini.

The gastrointestinal hormone cholecystokinin and the muscarinic agonist carbamylcholine are involved in pancreatic enzyme secretion through phospholipase C activation and production of the second messengers inositol trisphosphate and diacylglycerol. However, cholecystokinin induces growth of the pancreas whereas carbamylcholine does not. This study investigated the possibility of a specific cellular signalling transduction system through which cholecystokinin may induce pancreatic growth. Rat pancreatic acini were preincubated with 3H choline or 3H myristic acid to label phosphatidylcholine. They were then stimulated by caerulein, phorbol myristate acetate, and carbamylcholine; choline and phosphocholine release as well as phosphatidic acid and phosphatidylethanol production were measured to establish phospholipase D (PLD) activation. Caerulein, phorbolester and carbamylcholine increased phosphocholine release. Choline release was induced early by caerulein and later by phorbolester but not by carbachol. PLD was activated by caerulein and phorbolester but not by carbamylcholine. Increased intracellular calcium by A23187 had no effect on PLD activation but its chelation by BAPTA prevented caerulein-induced PLD activation. In conclusion, PLD seems to be selectively activated by caerulein and phorbol ester by two different mechanisms which are insensitive to carbamylcholine. It is suggested that the PLD pathway might be the cellular signalling system leading to pancreatic growth.