TRH analogue, RX 77368, injected into dorsal vagal complex stimulates gastric secretion in rats

Medullary sites inducing gastric acid secretion in response to microinjection of the stable analogue of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH; RX 77368, pGlu-His-[3,3'-dimethyl]-Pro-NH2) were investigated in urethan-anesthetized rats. Gastric acid output was recorded every 2 min through a double gastric cannula constantly perfused with 0.9% saline solution maintained at pH 5.5 using an automatic titrator. Unilateral microinjection of RX 77368 (10-100 ng in 50-nl volume) into the dorsal vagal complex (DVC), the dorsal vagal nucleus and nucleus tractus solitarius, induced a significant dose-dependent stimulation of gastric acid secretion. The peak response occurred within 50 min and lasted over 1 h. Other medullary sites, including the lateral, dorsal, and parvocellular reticular nuclei; the medial longitudinal fasciculus; and the medial cuneate nucleus injected with RX 77368 (10-100 ng), were inactive. The TRH metabolites, TRH-OH and His-Pro diketopiperazine (100 ng), injected into the DVC did not influence gastric acid secretion. The stimulation of gastric acid secretion induced by DVC injection of TRH was abolished by vagotomy. These results demonstrate that 1) the DVC is an important site of action for TRH-induced stimulation of gastric acid secretion, 2) TRH action in the DVC is not secondary to the formation of TRH metabolites, and 3) the effect is expressed by vagal efferent pathways. These findings added to the high concentration of TRH-immunoreactivity and receptors in the DVC suggest a role for endogenous TRH in the regulation of vagal outflow to the stomach.