Effects of sham feeding, bethanechol, and bombesin on somatostatin release in dogs

In seven conscious dogs with esophagostomies and gastric cannulas, the acid, gastrin, and somatostatinlike immunoreactivity (SLI) responses to 5-min sham feeding with or without pretreatment with atropine sulfate (20 and 100 micrograms/kg) were measured. The responses to bethanechol (100 micrograms X kg-1 X h-1), to bombesin (0.5 micrograms X kg-1 X h-1) with or without pretreatment with atropine sulfate, and to a combined stimulation with bethanechol and bombesin were also measured. Sham feeding resulted in an increase in plasma SLI concentration (basal level, 20.4 +/- 4.2 pg/ml; maximally stimulated level, 46.8 +/- 5.6 pg/ml; P less than 0.01). After the injection of atropine the integrated SLI response to sham feeding was significantly decreased but not suppressed. Infusion of bethanechol did not alter SLI plasma levels. Bombesin infused alone increased the plasma SLI concentration (basal level, 15.6 +/- 2.3 pg/ml; maximally stimulated level, 55.6 +/- 10.3 pg/ml; P less than 0.01). The integrated SLI response to bombesin was significantly decreased by atropine but not significantly changed by bethanechol. These studies show that sham feeding and bombesin release somatostatin. They suggest that somatostatin release is largely under vagal-cholinergic control.