Correlations between the acute chemical and surgical vagotomy-induced gastric mucosal biochemistry in rats

The aims of the present investigation were to compare the acute chemical (atropine given in a dose of 1.0 mg/kg s.c.) and bilateral surgical vagotomy-induced biochemical changes in the rat gastric mucosa. The biochemical measurements were carried out at 1.5 h after administration of atropine and surgical vagotomy. The adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP), adenosine monophosphate (AMP), and lactate were measured enzymatically, and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) was determined by RIA, from the total homogenate of gastric mucosa. The ratio of ATP/ADP, values of the adenylate pool (ATP + ADP + AMP), and energy charge [(ATP + 0.5 ADP)/(ATP + ADP + AMP)] were calculated. It was found that (a) no significant changes were obtained in the gastric mucosal levels of ATP, ADP, AMP, adenylate pool, cAMP, lactate, and ratio of ATP/ADP, but were with energy charge, which decreased in rats with acute surgical vagotomy; (b) the tissue levels of ATP, ADP, ratio of ATP/ADP, AMP, and adenylate pool were decreased, while the energy charge and cAMP increased in the atropine-treated group; and (c) significant differences were obtained between the chemical and surgical vagotomy-induced changes in the tissue levels of ATP, ADP, ratio of ATP/ADP, AMP, adenylate pool, energy charge, and cAMP. It is concluded that the chemical and surgical vagotomy-induced biochemical changes in the gastric mucosa differed significantly at 1.5 h after administration of atropine or surgical vagotomy, but no elevation was obtained in the gastric mucosal level of lactate; and chemical vagotomy regulates the membrane-bound ATP-dependent energy systems, but this regulation does not occur after surgical vagotomy.