Phorbol ester potentiates VIP-stimulated amylase release in rat pancreatic acini

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) or 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) individually stimulated amylase release in dispersed rat pancreatic acini. Pretreatment of acini with TPA (10(-6) M) for 5 min at 37 degrees C potentiated their subsequent response to stimulation by VIP at a dose range of 10(-8)-10(-6) M in that the treated pancreatic acini released more amylase than could be accounted for by the additive effects of VIP or TPA acting individually. This potentiation effect of TPA was still evident when isobutyl methylxanthine was given together with VIP. Further, the maximal' dose-response curve to VIP shifted 2 log units to the left (3 x 10(-9) versus 3 x 10(-7) M). The TPA preincubation was found also to potentiate VIP-stimulated net increases in intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) levels. A close correlation existed between the net releases of amylase and the net increases in intracellular cAMP levels (r = 0.97). This suggested that TPA potentiated the response of rat pancreatic acini to VIP by modulating the cAMP system. The TPA as a potent activator of protein kinase C may act as a modulator of the adenylate cylase-cAMP system in rat pancreatic acini.