The stimulatory effect of amylin on mucus secretion in isolated rat trachea

A modified Ussing chamber technique was used to characterize the effects of amylin on rat tracheal mucus secretion. The effects of amylin were studied at both the mucosal and the submucosal side of isolated rat trachea. Applied at the mucosal side, amylin had no direct effect on mucus secretion, but significantly decreased the acetylcholine (1 mM)-induced tachyphylaxia when this substance was presented a second time (first stimulation: 490%; second stimulation: 334%; second stimulation plus amylin: 407%). At the submucosal side, amylin significantly stimulated mucus secretion (controls: 100%; 1 microM amylin: 193%; 100 nM amylin: 170%; 10 nM amylin: 127%; 1 nM amylin: 127%). Together with the recent observation of specific amylin receptors in rat lung membranes, these data suggest a physiological role for amylin in the regulation of tracheal mucus secretion.