Interaction of Ca2+ and cyclic nucleotides in stimulus-secretion coupling in rat pancreas in vitro was studied utilizing the divalent cation inophore A23187. phosphodiesterase inhibitors, cyclic nucleotides and cholera toxin. 2. Amylase secretion was increased by the ionophore in the presence of extracellular Ca2+ in a dose-dependent fashion. Activation of CCK-PZ receptors simultaneously with induction of amylase secretion by A23187 did not alter amylase secretion whereas theophylline or caffeine had effects additive to A23187. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP potentiated the effect of ionophore whereas dibutyryl cyclic GMP had no effect on basal or ionophore-induced amylase secretion. Cholera toxin by itself did not effect amylase secretion whereas it potentiated the effect of ionophore. 3. A23187 increased bidirectional fluxes of 45Ca and increased efflux of 45Ca in a fashion similar to CCK-PZ. Theophylline did not alter basal efflux of 45Ca. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP increased the basal efflux of 45Ca whereas, cholera toxin, dibutyryl cyclic GMP and sodium butyrate had no effect. 4. Theophylline increased basal cyclic AMP levels with a peak effect observed at 5 min. Combination of theophylline and ionophore did not lead to an increase in levels of cyclic AMP greater than that observed with theophylline alone. Cholera toxin increased cyclic AMP levels at 30 and 60 min of incubation. 5. Ionophore and CCK-PZ increased tissue cyclic GMP levels significantly greater than that obtained with theophylline alone. This effect was dependent on extracellular Ca2+. The effect of ionophore on tissue levels of cyclic GMP could be dissociated from its effect on 45Ca efflux and amylase secretion. 6. It is concluded from these studies that Ca2+ plays a predominant role in regulating amylase secretion with interactions occurring between Ca2+ and cyclic AMP and Ca2+ and cyclic GMP. It appears that by themselves cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP do not play a significant role in regulating enzyme secretion.
