Canine gastric mucosal vasodilation with prostaglandins and histamine analogs

The effect of direct intragastric artery infusion of prostaglandins E2 and I2, arachidonic acid, dimaprit (histamine H2 agonist), and 2',2'-pyridylethylamine (histamine H1 agonist) on gastric mucosal blood flow was examined in dogs to elucidate the relationship between gastric secretory state and mucosal blood flow in dogs. These compounds were chosen because of their diverse effect on gastric acid secretion. Gastric fundus blood flow was measured both electromagnetically with a flow probe around the left gastric artery which supplies the fundus almost exclusively, and by the radioactive microsphere technique. Intraarterial infusion of all the compounds resulted in gastric mucosal vasodilation even though PGE2, PGI2, and arachidonic acid inhibit gastric acid secretion, dimaprit stimulated gastric acid secretion, and 2',2'-pyridylethylamine does not affect gastric acid secretion. There was total agreement in the blood flow measurements by the two different techniques. Our data suggest that gastric acid secretion and gastric vasodilation are independently regulated. In addition, the validity of the studies in which the aminopyrine clearance indicates that prostaglandins are mucosal vasoconstrictors needs to be questioned because of the reliance of those measurements on the secretory state of the stomach.