Intestinal Mucosal Cyclic GMP: Regulation and Relation to Ion Transport

Stimulation of alpha-adrenergic and muscarinic cholinergic receptors in rabbit ileal mucosa in vitro produced 5- to 15-fold increases in cyclic GMP (cGMP) concentration that were maximal within 2 min and gone within 30 min. Cholecystokinin octapeptide and insulin caused similar increases in cGMP. None of these agents affected cAMP. The epinephrine-induced increase in cGMP was blocked by atropine at 100 but not at 1 muM concentration. Epinephrine stimulates active NaCl absorption and decreases short-circuit current (SCC) in vitro, the latter effect due to inhibition of HCO3 secretion. Atropine (100 muM) blocked the former but not the latter effect of epinephrine. In vitro additions of several concentrations of cGMP and 8-bromo-cGMP did not decrease SCC or alter Na fluxes. Thus, changes in cGMP concentration have been directly correlated with changes in active absorption of NaCl, but a causal relationship has not been proven.