Duodenal mucosal alkaline secretion, permeability, and blood flow.

The relationship between duodenal mucosal alkaline secretion, permeability, and blood flow was examined in anesthetized rats. Duodenum was perfused with saline, and rate of luminal alkalinization (LA), mucosal permeability (clearance of 51Cr-EDTA from blood to lumen), effluent volume, mean arterial blood pressure (MABP), and blood flow (laser-Doppler flowmetry) were determined. Infusion of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP, 13.5 micrograms.kg-1 x h-1 i.v.) increased LA and fluid secretion but decreased MABP and mucosal permeability. The concentration of base in the secreted fluid was 45 mM. Systemic infusion of VIP (2.5 micrograms.kg-1 x h-1) increased LA and fluid secretion; the HCO3- concentration in secreted fluid was 86 mM. The lower VIP dose affected neither blood flow nor mucosal permeability. Both intravenous (10 mg/kg + 3 mg.kg-1 x h-1) and intraluminal (3 x 10(-3) M) N omega-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) increased LA and effluent volume; the HCO3- concentration in the secreted fluid was 38 and 44 mM, respectively. Intravenous, but not intraluminal, L-NNA increased mucosal permeability and decreased blood flow. Reduction of arterial blood pressure by blood withdrawal or by injection of prazosin (50 micrograms/kg i.v.) or hexamethonium (20 mg/kg i.v.) decreased LA and mucosal permeability. Prazosin decreased blood flow, whereas hexamethonium slightly increased blood flow. We conclude that NO may be an inhibitory regulator of LA and that both L-NNA and VIP increase LA via stimulation of active HCO3- transport. VIP probably increases HCO3- and fluid secretion by two separate ion transport mechanisms. No causal relationship exists between LA and blood flow, between LA and mucosal permeability, or between mucosal permeability and blood flow. A positive linear correlation exists between MABP and mucosal permeability, suggesting that marked changes of MABP may influence permeation of small water-soluble solutes across duodenal mucosa.