Motilin-induced mechanical activity in the canine alimentary tract

Gastrointestinal contractile activity from the lower esophageal sphincter to the terminal ileum in the conscious dogs was continuously recorded on a multi-channel polygraph for several weeks by means of chronically implanted strain gage force transducers. It was found that the 24-hour gastrointestinal motor activity consisted of the two different major patterns; the digestive and interdigestive patterns. The interdigestive motor activity was characterized by a cyclic recurring, caudad-moving band of strong contractions interrupted by long lasting motor quiescence. When one band of strong contractions reached the distal ileum, another developed in the LES, stomach and duodenum again and propagated in a caudad-direction. Such recycling episodes repeatedly occurred until the next meal. After ingestion of food, gastrointestinal motor activity was continous and such characteristic interdigestive patterns were not observed. Synthetic motilin, 0.1-2.7 mug/kg/hr, was assayed for its motor stimulating activity in the both states. In the digestive state, an i.v. infusion of motlin had no influence upon the motor activity even if the dose was increased up to 6.0 mug/kg/hr. On the other hand, when motilin was infused during the interdigestive state, it induced a pattern precisely like the naturally-occurring interdigestive contractions. Not only the naturally-occurring contractions but also motilin-induced contractions were strongly inhibited by the ingestion of food or an i.v. infusion of pentagastrin (0.2-1.8 mug/kg/hr). Duodenal acidification (0.1 N HC1, 3-16 ml/kg/hr) in the interdigestive state disturbed or inhibited the regular cycle of the natural contractions but was counteracted by exogenous i.v. infusion of motilin. These findings strongly suggest the view that the interdigestive gastrointestinal motor activity is at least in part regulated by circulating motilin concentration in the blood, however, its cyclic recurring, caudad propagating mechanism may be controlled in part by the nervous system. Motilin is the only substance known to be active during the interdigestive state and therefore may be called the interdigestive hormone.