Effects of Gastrin on Circulating Levels of Somatostatin, Pancreatic Polypeptide, and Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide in Dogs*

The effect of synthetic human gastrin I, infused at two doses, on the concentrations of somatostatin, pancreatic polypeptide, and vasoactive intestinal peptide in portal and systemic blood was studied in six anesthetized dogs. Intragastric pH was maintained at 5.5, and acid output was measured by intragastric titration. Significant increases in somatostatin and pancreatic polypeptide concentrations in portal blood were found with the lower dose of gastrin (0.5 microgram/kg . h) infused for 40 min. When gastrin was infused at 1.5 microgram/kg . h for 100 min, both portal and systemic blood concentrations of somatostatin and pancreatic polypeptide rose significantly. Cimetidine (300 mg, as an iv bolus), given 40 min after the beginning of the second infusion, did not affect gastrin-stimulated release of somatostatin and pancreatic polypeptide, whereas acid output was completely abolished. Vasoactive intestinal peptide concentrations did not change with the infusion of either dose of gastrin. This daily shows that gastrin releases somatostatin and pancreatic polypeptide in a dose-dependent fashion, and since this release was not acid mediated, it appears likely to be a direct action of gastrin.