Cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate concentration in the pancreas following stimulation by secretin, cholecystokinin-pancreozymin and acetylcholine.

1. Following an I.V. injection of secretin into anaesthetized cats, the pancreatic cyclic AMP concentration rose within 30 sec and reached near-maximal values within 1 min. Pancreatic secretion began only after 45 sec. As secretion declined, the cyclic AMP concentration also fell. However, after 40 min, when secretion had ceased, the concentration again rose, reaching a maximum after about 80 min and returned to basal values within 140 min.2. During secretin infusion the pattern of cyclic AMP changes was the same, except that the initial rise was maintained as long as secretin was infused.3. Following either pancreozymin or acetylcholine, alone or super-imposed on secretin stimulation, similar changes in cyclic AMP concentration were observed. However, the initial rise lasted only 30 sec, basal concentrations being approached within 1 min, and was accompanied by enzyme secretion. The concentration of cyclic AMP subsequently rose and fell again, in the absence of enzyme secretion, exactly as after secretin stimulation.4. Similar observations were made using an isolated, saline-perfused preparation of the cat's pancreas.5. By using very low doses of pancreozymin it was possible to observe the first rise in cyclic AMP concentration in the absence of enzyme secretion. Similarly atropine, while blocking enzyme secretion, did not affect the rise in cyclic AMP concentration after acetylcholine. The second increase in concentration was never associated with secretion (it may have been connected with the synthesis of exportable enzymes by the gland).6. While these observations suggest that cyclic AMP may be involved in the response of the pancreas to secretin, pancreozymin and acetylcholine, no simple relation exists between cyclic AMP concentration and secretion.