Stoichiometry of neurally-induced vip release, no formation and relaxation in rabbit and rat gastric muscle. Jin, J. G., K. S. Murthy, J. R. Grider, and G. M. Makhlouf. Departments of Medicine and Physiology, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23298-0711
APStracts 3:0056G, 1996.
VIP release, NO formation and relaxation induced by nerve stimulation were examined in rabbit and rat gastric muscle. VIP stimulated NO formation in muscle strips, while NO stimulated VIP release. Nerve stimulation (0.025-16 Hz or 2-940 pulses) elicited frequency -dependent stimulation of VIP release, NO formation, and relaxation, all significant at 2-3 pulses. L-NNA abolished NO formation, abolished VIP release and relaxation at low frequencies, and partly inhibited them at higher frequencies. Oxy-hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) inhibited VIP release and relaxation by 80% at low frequencies and 20-30% at higher frequencies. VIP10-28 abolished NO formation and relaxation at lower frequencies and partly inhibited them at higher frequencies; in contrast, VIP10-28 augmented VIP release in both species. The pattern of inhibition was similar in both species. Inhibition of maximal NO formation by VIP10-28 (82% in rabbit; 48% in rat) implied that a major component of NO is formed in muscle cells by the action of VIP. Thus, (a) inhibition of relaxation by L-NNA reflects suppression of NO and VIP release from nerve terminals and NO formation in muscle cells; (b) inhibition by VIP10-28 partly reflects suppression of NO formation in muscle cells; and (c) inhibition by oxy-Hb reflects neutralization of extracellular NO and suppression of VIP release. The study demonstrates the dual origin of NO from nerves and muscle and its interplay with VIP in regulating relaxation.

Received 27 November 1995; accepted in final form 29 February
1996.
APS Manuscript Number G504-5.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Gastrointest. Liver
Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1996 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 21 March 96