Metalloendopeptidase inhibitors and stimulus-secretion coupling in the mouse exocrine pancreas

Inhibitors of metalloendopeptidases interfere with events involving Ca2(+)-dependent membrane fusion in a number of cell types. The divalent ion chelating agent 1,10-phenanthroline inhibited pancreatic amylase secretion stimulated by carbachol, cholecystokinin-octapeptide (CCK-8), or bombesin, but detailed studies indicated that this is unlikely to be a result of inhibition of metalloendopeptidase activity. The binding of [3H]N-methylscopolamine to pancreatic acini was reduced by 1,10-phenanthroline and this would explain the marked inhibition of carbachol-induced amylase secretion by the chelating agent. CCK-8-stimulated hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate was reduced by 1,10-phenanthroline while the binding of CCK-8 to acini was not affected. This inhibition of hydrolysis would explain the inhibition of CCK-8- and bombesin-induced amylase secretion. The metalloendopeptidase substrate carbobenzoxyglycylphenylalanylamide did not affect bombesin-stimulated amylase secretion. Amylase secretion evoked by treating pancreatic acini with the ionophore A23187 or dibutyryl-cyclic AMP was not reduced by 1,10-phenanthroline, indicating a lack of involvement of metalloendopeptidases in the process of exocytosis in this cell type.