Rat gastroduodenal motility in vivo: interaction of GABA and VIP in control of spontaneous relaxations.

Spontaneous relaxations occurring within motor activity in the rat gastroduodenum in vivo can be distinguished by their dependence on either nitric oxide (NO) or ATP. We examined the interaction of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) within pathways controlling this activity in the antrum (S) and duodenum (D) of anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats, using miniaturized extraluminal foil strain gauges oriented perpendicular to (S1, D1) or in the axis of (S2) the circular smooth muscle. The NO synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; 10 mg/kg iv) attenuated (P < 0.05) antral relaxations and, in the duodenum, nonpropagating "intergroup" relaxations. The GABAA receptor antagonist bicuculline (350 micrograms/kg sc) had similar effects. The GABAA agonist 3-amino-1-propanesulfonic acid stimulated L-NAME-sensitive relaxations at S1 and D1. Propagating "grouped" responses were unchanged. VIP (6 micrograms/kg iv) always induced a relaxation of the duodenum, which was attenuated by bicuculline and L-NAME. VIP caused simultaneous responses at S1 and S2; however, the antrum displayed either contraction or relaxation in response to VIP. All antral relaxations in response to VIP were attenuated (P < 0. 05) by L-NAME; however, only VIP-induced relaxations at S1 were sensitive to bicuculline. VIP-induced contractions were also unaffected. GABAA receptors mediate the pathway(s) controlling NO-related spontaneous relaxations of the antrum and duodenal circular muscle. All VIP-induced relaxations are mediated by NO. Spontaneous relaxations of the rat gastroduodenum include responses that involve a GABAAergic NO-related pathway, which is targeted by VIP. In addition, VIP can target NO relaxations of the antrum via other pathways.