Effects of leukotriene C4 on pancreatic secretion and circulation in dogs

In the present study the effects of leukotriene C4 (LTC4) on exocrine pancreatic secretion and pancreatic blood flow were determined. LTC4 given intravenously in various doses ranging from 0.35 to 2.8 nmol.kg-1.h-1 in conscious dogs caused a dose-dependent inhibition of pancreatic HCO-3 and protein responses to exogenous hormones such as secretin, cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8), and bombesin and to endogenous stimulants including meat feeding and duodenal perfusion with oleate. In tests with pancreatic secretion induced by secretin plus CCK, maximal inhibition by LTC4 occurred at a dose of 1.4 nmol.kg-1.h-1 and reached approximately 70% of the control value for HCO-3 output and 45% for protein output. In tests with separate secretin- or CCK-induced secretion, maximal inhibition occurred at a dose of 1.4 nmol.kg-1.h-1 and reached 38 and 66% of the control HCO-3 and protein secretion, respectively. The same dose of LTC4 reduced the postprandial HCO-3 secretion by approximately 80% and protein output by approximately 70%. After administration of indomethacin, the pancreatic secretion declined, but the inhibitory effects of LTC4 remained unchanged. Pancreatic tissue generated two to three times more LTC4 than the gastrointestinal mucosa, and indomethacin caused further increase in this generation, suggesting that LTC4 may contribute to indomethacin-induced pancreatic inhibition. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)