Cholinergic Role on Insulin Action in Exocrine Secretion of the Isolated Rat Pancreas

In order to investigate intra-pancreatic cholinergic roles on insulin action in exocrine secretion, the pancreas was isolated from rats and continuously perfused with modified Krebs-Henseleit solution. Intra-arterial infusion of insulin (100 nM) or cholecystokinin (CCK, 14 pM) alone resulted in stimulation of the volume flow and amylase output. Also insulin potentiated the action of CCK in the exocrine secretion. Tetrodotoxin and atropine completely abolished the potentiating action of insulin and CCK as well as the action of insulin alone, but did not change the action of CCK alone. In order to see an effect of intra-pancreatic neural activation on the insulin action, electrical field stimulation (EFS) with parameters of 20 V, 2 msec and 8 Hz was applied to the isolated pancreas for 10 min under 2.5 or 18 mM glucose background. The EFS voltage-dependently elevated the flow rate and amylase output, and potentiated exocrine secretion in 18 mM glucose infusion compared with 2.5 mM glucose. The potentiating effects of EFS and 18 mM glucose were not observed in the streptozotocin-treated pancreas although it was perfused with 18 mM glucose. However, it was restored when the diabetic pancreas was perfused with porcine insulin(100 nM). Tetrodotoxin and atropine inhibited the pancreatic secretion induced by EFS with the background of 18 mM glucose. The results of present investigation indicate that the intra-pancreatic cholinergic tone exerts a stimulatory influence on the action of insulin in pancreatic exocrine secretion of rats.