Galanin Inhibits Rat Pancreatic Amylase Release via Cholinerglc

FLOWE, K. M., K. M. LALLY AND M. W. MULHOLLAND. Galanin inhibits rat pancreatic amylase release via cholinergic suppression. PEPTIDES 13(3) 487-492, 1992.--The effects of galanin on pancreatic exocrine function were examined using rat pancreatic tissues. In anesthetized rats, galanin (40 t~g/kg/h) decreased amylase secretion stimulated by 2-deoxy glucose (5.8 + 0.1 vs. 3.1 _+ 0.1 times basal) and cholecystokinin octapeptide (21.5 + 0.6 vs. 16.8 +_ 0.5), while not inhibiting bethanecholstimulated secretion. In dispersed acini, there was no effect of galanin alone (10 -s to 10 -~3 M) on amylase release, nor did galanin (10 -6 or 10 -s M) coincubafion affect amylase release stimulated by bethanechoi (10 -3 to 10 -7 M) or CCK-8 (10 -s to 10 -~3 M). Using pancreatic lobules, eoincubation with galanin (10 -6 M) suppressed 75 mM KCl-stimulated amylase secretion and ACh release (10.1 + 0.6% vs. 7.3 + 0.4%). Veratridine-stimulated (10 -4 M) amylase secretion and ACh release (12.4 + 1.7% vs. 8.5 + 0.7%) were similarly diminished.