Cholecystokinin-induced restricted stimulation of pancreatic enzyme secretion

During a 5-min incubation with increasing concentrations of cholecystokinin, enzyme secretion from pancreatic acini increased, became maximal at 1 nM cholecystokinin, and then decreased progressively to 65% of maximal with concentrations of cholecystokinin above 1 nM. During a 20-min incubation with increasing concentrations of cholecystokinin, enzyme secretion increased, became maximal at 0.3 nM cholecystokinin, and then decreased progressively to 40% of maximal with concentrations of cholecystokinin above 0.3 nM. The configuration of the dose-response curve for cholecystokinin-stimulated enzyme secretion did not change when the incubation time was increased from 20 to 30, 45, or 60 min. Concentrations of cholecystokinin that were supramaximal for stimulating enzyme secretion abolished the stimulation caused by other secretagogues that promote mobilization of cellular calcium (e.g., carbamylcholine, bombesin, physalaemin, or A23187), as well as that caused by secretagogues that elevate cellular cAMP (e.g., vasoactive intestinal peptide or secretin). The submaximal stimulation caused by supramaximal concentrations of cholecystokinin reflects what we have termed "restricted stimulation" of enzyme secretion. Secretion is than the basal rate of release and is "restricted" in the sense that enzyme release is submaximal and cannot be increased by adding another secretagogue.