Interaction of glucagon-like peptide-I (GLP-I) and galanin in insulin (beta TC-1)- and somatostatin (RIN T3)-secreting cells and evidence that both peptides have no receptors on glucagon (INR1G9)-secreting cells.

The interaction of glucagon-like peptide-I (GLP-I) and galanin in clonal endocrine pancreatic cells was characterized. By Northern blot analysis the presence of GLP-I receptor mRNA was shown in B (beta TC-1 cells) and D (RIN 1048-38) cells but not in A (INR1 G9) cells, thus confirming functional data demonstrating the absence of active GLP-I receptors on glucagon-producing cells. Galanin receptors were detected on B and D cells but not on A cells. In B and D cells galanin inhibited the GLP-I stimulated adenylate cyclase activity. Treatment of insulin- and somatostatin-producing cells with GLP-I increased intracellular cAMP levels, and this was dampened by galanin, GLP-I stimulated the activity of protein kinase A in B and D cells, which was also inhibited by galanin. Galanin alone did not influence B- and D-cell function. These data show that in the endocrine pancreas B and D cells but not A cells express GLP-I and galanin receptors. The interaction of GLP-I and galanin might act in the endocrine pancreas as a physiological inhibitor of the potent incretin hormone GLP-I. Therefore, we suggest galanin is a 'decretin'.