Influence of vagal integrity on gastrin and somatostatin release in dogs

Plasma gastrin and somatostatin responses to ingestion of a solid meal, to insulin hypoglycemia, and to intravenous infusion of gastrin-releasing peptide were measured in 4 conscious dogs with and without bilateral cryogenic blockade of the cervical vagus nerves. Vagal cooling to -2 degrees C abolished meal-stimulated rises in plasma gastrin and somatostatin. Atropine did not modify the gastrin response to cooling but bethanechol reduced the magnitude of inhibition to 37% +/- 9% without influencing plasma somatostatin. Gastrin-releasing peptide elevated postprandial plasma gastrin during vagal blockade to levels comparable to those with the vagus intact but did not alter the nadir plasma somatostatin response. The plasma gastrin and somatostatin rises associated with insulin hypoglycemia were similarly inhibited by cooling to -2 degrees C. Cooling to 12 degrees C, which selectively blocks vagal inhibitory pathways, had no effect on meal-stimulated gastrin release and partially decreased the plasma gastrin response to insulin hypoglycemia. Thus, gastrin release by food and by insulin hypoglycemia is mediated by a vagal nonmuscarinic excitatory pathway that is independent of changes in circulating plasma somatostatin but may include participation by the candidate neurotransmitter gastrin-releasing peptide.