Modulation by somatostatin of rat submandibular salivary secretion

Although somatostatin (somatotrophin release inhibitory factor; SRIF) is a well-known inhibitory peptide, there are only a few reports of it acting as a positive modulator. In this work, the action of somatostatin upon rat submandibular protein secretion was studied. In vivo somatostatin infusion (35 microg/(kg h)) raised protein secretion stimulated by adrenergic and peptidergic agents. To rule out possible systemic effects of somatostatin, in vitro experiments were performed. Somatostatin (90 nmol/l) augmented protein release stimulated by noradrenaline (19 micromol/l) and substance P (10 micromol/l), but it did not affect isoprenaline (400 micromol/l)-induced protein release. Phenoxybenzamine (20 micromol/l) reduced the effect of somatostatin on noradrenaline-stimulated protein release. Propranolol (20 micromol/l) increased the noradrenaline-stimulated protein release and this effect was synergistic with the action of somatostatin. The absence of extracellular calcium did not significantly reduce somatostatin enhancement of agonist-induced secretion. Fluorescence measurements of the Ca(2+)-sensitive dye fluo3 showed that cytosolic calcium in acinar cells remained elevated during stimuli when somatostatin was present in the medium. It was concluded that somatostatin modulates rat submandibular protein secretion by prolonging the time that the cytosolic calcium signal remains high after stimulus.