Oxyntic Mucosal Histidine Decarboxylase Activity Research Articles

Ischemia of rat stomach mobilizes ECL cell histamine

Microdialysis was used to study how ischemia-evoked gastric mucosal injury affects rat stomach histamine, which resides in enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells and mast cells. A microdialysis probe was inserted into the gastric submucosa, and the celiac artery was clamped (30 min), followed by removal of the clamp. Microdialysate histamine was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In addition, we studied the long-term effects of ischemia on the oxyntic mucosal histidine decarboxylase activity in omeprazole-treated rats. Gastric mucosal lesions induced by the ischemia were enlarged on removal of the clamp. The microdialysate histamine concentration increased immediately on clamping (50-fold rise within 30 min) and declined promptly after the clamp was removed. In contrast, histidine decarboxylase activity of the ECL cells was lowered by the ischemia and returned to preischemic values 9 days later. Mast cell-deficient rats responded to ischemia-reperfusion much like wild-type rats with respect to histamine mobilization. Pretreatment with the irreversible inhibitor of histidine decarboxylase, alpha-fluoromethylhistidine, which is known to eliminate histamine from ECL cells, prevented the rise in microdialysate histamine. Pharmacological blockade of acid secretion (cimetidine or omeprazole) prevented the lesions induced by ischemia-reperfusion insult but not the mobilization of histamine. In conclusion, ischemia of the celiac artery mobilizes large amounts of histamine from ECL cells, which occurs independently of the gross mucosal lesions. The prompt reduction of the mucosal histidine decarboxylase activity in response to ischemia probably reflects ECL cell damage. The lesions develop not because of mobilization of histamine per se but because of ischemia plus reperfusion plus gastric acid.

Effect of cholecystokinin-2 receptor blockade on rat stomach ECL cells. A histochemical, electron-microscopic and chemical study.

The ECL cells in the oxyntic mucosa of rat stomach produce histamine and chromogranin A-derived peptides such as pancreastatin. The cells respond to gastrin via cholecystokinin-2 (CCK2) receptors. A CCK2 receptor blockade was induced by treatment (for up to 8 weeks) with two receptor antagonists, YM022 and YF476. Changes in ECL-cell morphology were examined by immunocytochemistry and electron microscopy, while changes in ECL cell-related biochemical parameters were monitored by measuring serum pancreastatin and oxyntic mucosal pancreastatin, and histamine concentrations, and histidine decarboxylase (HDC) activity. The CCK2 receptor blockade reduced the ECL-cell density only marginally, if at all, but transformed the ECL cells from slender, elongated cells with prominent projections to small, spherical cells without projections. The Golgi complex and the rough endoplasmic reticulum were diminished. Secretory vesicles were greatly reduced in volume density in the trans Golgi area. Circulating pancreastatin concentration and oxyntic mucosal HDC activity were lowered within a few hours. Oxyntic mucosal histamine and pancreastatin concentrations were reduced only gradually. The CCK2 receptor blockade was found to prevent the effects of omeprazole-evoked hypergastrinaemia on the ECL-cell activity and density. In conclusion, gastrin, acting on CCK2 receptors, is needed to maintain the shape, size and activity of the ECL cells, but not for maintaining the ECL-cell population.

Reversibility of cholecystokinin-B/gastrin receptor blockade: a study of the gastrin-ECL cell axis in the rat.

Gastrin acts via cholecystokinin-B/gastrin receptors to control histamine- and chromogranin A-producing ECL cells, which constitute the quantitatively predominant endocrine cell population in the acid-producing part of the rat stomach. Cholecystokinin-B receptor blockade is known to suppress the activity of ECL cells and to prevent their ability to respond to gastrin stimulation. The present study examines the reversibility of long-standing cholecystokinin-B receptor blockade of ECL cells. YM022, a potent and selective cholecystokinin-B receptor antagonist, was administered in a maximally effective dose by continuous subcutaneous infusion for 4 weeks (via osmotic minipumps). The resulting receptor blockade was manifested in elevated serum gastrin concentration (due to the ensuing acid inhibition), while the serum pancreastatin concentration, oxyntic mucosal histidine decarboxylase activity, histidine decarboxylase- and chromogranin A- mRNA levels and histamine and pancreastatin concentrations were lowered. After withdrawal of YM022, all these parameters returned to normal after varying lengths of time. The serum gastrin concentration and the oxyntic mucosal histidine decarboxylase activity returned to normal within a week after termination of treatment. The serum pancreastatin concentration and the mucosal histidine decarboxylase- and chromogranin A-mRNA levels returned to normal within 2 weeks of drug withdrawal. The mucosal pancreastatin and histamine concentrations remained unchanged for about a week before gradually returning to control levels within the next two weeks. Hence, the various effects of cholecystokinin-B receptor blockade of the ECL cells are fully reversible within 1-3 weeks of drug withdrawal.

Rat stomach ECL-cell histidine decarboxylase activity is suppressed by ergocalciferol but unaffected by parathyroid hormone and calcitonin

The ECL cells are peptide hormone-producing cells, rich in histamine and chromogranin A (CGA)-derived peptides, that operate under the control of gastrin. Gastrin and the ECL cells form a functional unit, the gastrin–ECL-cell axis. The aims of the present study were to examine (1) if calcitonin (CT), parathyroid hormone (PTH) and vitamin D affect the gastrin–ECL-cell axis (by measuring the activity of the histamine-forming enzyme, histidine decarboxylase (HDC), and the expression of HDC mRNA and CGA mRNA in the ECL cells), and (2) if activation of the gastrin–ECL-cell axis affects the parathyroid glands (by measuring plasma PTH and mRNA expression). We also examined the possibility that the oxyntic mucosa harbours vitamin D receptors. Fasted rats received intravenous infusion of PTH and CT with or without gastrin. PTH raised the blood Ca 2+ concentration, whereas CT infusion lowered it. Plasma PTH rose in response to CT, while serum gastrin remained unaffected. ECL-cell HDC was activated by gastrin but not by CT and PTH. Five daily subcutaneous injections of large amounts of ergocalciferol raised the blood Ca 2+ concentration, while reducing the oxyntic mucosal HDC activity and the expression of HDC and CGA mRNA. The serum gastrin concentration was not affected. The findings are in line with the idea that the gastrin–ECL-cell axis can be suppressed by vitamin D or by vitamin D-dependent mechanisms. Western blot analysis revealed the presence of vitamin D receptor immunoreactivity and reverse transcription PCR detected vitamin D receptor gene expression in the rat oxyntic mucosa. Hypergastrinemia was induced by daily peroral treatment with the H +/K +-ATPase inhibitor, omeprazole, for 2 weeks or by continuous subcutaneous infusion of gastrin for 7 days. Elevated serum gastrin concentration was associated with increased HDC activity and increased HDC and CGA mRNA expression in the oxyntic mucosa. There was no elevation of plasma PTH or PTH mRNA expression in the parathyroid gland.

Evidence that peroral calcium does not activate the gastrin-ECL-cell axis in the rat

The ECL cells are histamine- and pancreastatin-secreting endocrine cells in the oxyntic mucosa, thought to release a blood Ca 2+-lowering peptide hormone upon stimulation by gastrin. Previously, we have shown that the ECL cells do not respond to perturbations in blood Ca 2+. In the present study, we examine if Ca 2+ in the gastric lumen will affect the activity of the gastrin-ECL-cell axis. Freely fed or food deprived (48 h) rats were given an oral load of CaCl 2 (or NaCl), and the blood Ca 2+ concentration was monitored. The serum gastrin concentration at sacrifice, 3 h after ingestion of CaCl 2, was measured together with two parameters of ECL cell activity: the oxyntic mucosal histidine decarboxylase (HDC) activity and the serum pancreastatin concentration. The circulating concentrations of calcitonin and parathyroid hormone (PTH) were also measured. Oral CaCl 2 raised the blood Ca 2+ in a dose-dependent manner. The two highest doses (which caused damage to the oxyntic mucosa) raised the serum gastrin concentration and the HDC activity in both fed and fasted rats; the serum pancreastatin concentration remained unaffected. Oral CaCl 2 raised the serum calcitonin concentration and lowered the serum PTH concentration. The effects of high doses of oral CaCl 2 on the serum gastrin concentration and on the oxyntic mucosal HDC activity could be reproduced by a high dose of NaCl. Thus the effects are probably not due to Ca 2+ per se. We conclude that the gastrin-ECL-cell axis in the rat does not respond to peroral Ca 2+. Since the ECL cells do not respond to either circulating or peroral Ca 2+ they are unlikely to secrete a calciotropic hormone.

Time-course of deactivation of rat stomach ECL cells following cholecystokinin B/gastrin receptor blockade.

1 The so-called enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells constitute 65-75% of the endocrine cells in the acid-producing part of the rat stomach. They produce and secrete histamine and pancreastatin, a chromogranin A (CGA)-derived peptide, in response to gastrin, Cholecystokinin (CCK)B/gastrin receptor blockade is known to suppress their activity. 2 We have examined the time course of the deactivation of the ECL cells following treatment with the selective CCKB receptor antagonists RP73870 and YM022. The drugs were given by continuous subcutaneous infusion for a time span of 1 h to 3 weeks and the serum gastrin concentration and various ECL cell parameters were measured (oxyntic mucosal histidine decarboxylase (HDC) activity, histamine and pancreastatin concentrations, HDC mRNA and CGA mRNA levels, and circulating pancreastatin concentration). 3 The two antagonists caused a prompt and dramatic decline in the oxyntic mucosal HDC activity and HDC mRNA level. The HDC activity started to decline after 1-2 h, was reduced by 60-70% after 6 h and was maximally suppressed (80-90%) after 24-48 h. The HDC mRNA level was reduced after 12 h and was at about 20% of the pretreatment level after 2-4 days of infusion. The ECL cell histamine concentration was lowered by about 50% after 7-10 days. 4 RP73870 and YM022 lowered the serum pancreastatin concentration and the oxyntic mucosal CGA mRNA level. The serum pancreastatin concentration was reduced by 40% after 6 h and the reduction was maximal after 2-3 days. A decline in the oxyntic mucosal CGA mRNA level was noted after 12 h with a maximal reduction after 2-4 days of infusion. The ECL cell pancreastatin concentration was reduced by 30-40% after 3 weeks. 5 The infusion of RP73870 and YM022 induced hypergastrinaemia. The serum gastrin concentration started to rise after 2-4 h, there was a 2 fold increase after 6 h and maximal increase (3-4 fold) after 2-3 days of treatment. 6 In conclusion, CCKB/gastrin receptor blockade promptly deactivates the ECL cells. Deactivation, manifested in a greatly reduced HDC activity, was apparent after 1-2 h of the infusion. The serum pancreastatin concentration and the oxyntic mucosal HDC mRNA and CGA mRNA levels were greatly reduced after 1-2 days. The ECL cell concentrations of histamine and pancreastatin declined quite slowly by comparison.

Cholecystokinin-B/gastrin receptor blockade suppresses the activity of rat stomach ECL cells.

Gastrin controls the histamine- and chromogranin A-producing enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells, the predominant endocrine cell population in the acid-producing part of the rat stomach. They are responsible for most of the circulating pancreastatin, a chromogranin A-derived peptide. The present study examines the ability of two potent and highly selective cholecystokinin-B/gastrin receptor antagonists, RP73870 and YM022, to incapacitate the ECL cells. The two antagonists were given by continuous subcutaneous infusion to otherwise untreated rats and to hypergastrinaemic rats treated with gastrin-17 (continuous subcutaneous infusion) or omeprazole (orally) for 7 days. Several parameters reflecting ECL cell activity were measured: The oxyntic mucosal histidine decarboxylase activity, the histamine concentration, the histidine decarboxylase mRNA and chromogranin A mRNA concentrations, and the serum pancreastatin concentration. In addition, the serum gastrin concentration was measured. RP73870 and YM022 greatly lowered the oxyntic mucosal histidine decarboxylase activity and the histidine decarboxylase mRNA and chromogranin A mRNA concentrations, and also reduced the oxyntic mucosal histamine concentration and the serum pancreastatin concentration. Moreover, they raised the serum gastrin concentration. With respect to blockade of histidine decarboxylase activity, 1.0 mumol.kg-1.hr-1 was an almost maximally effective dose for both RP73870 and YM022. The corresponding ID50 values were 0.04 and 0.05 mumol.kg-1.hr-1. RP73870 and YM022 inhibited the hypergastrinaemia-evoked rise in all ECL-cell parameters. The results suggest that sustained cholecystokinin-B/gastrin receptor blockade causes lasting deactivation of the ECL cells.

Evidence that rat stomach ECL cells represent the main source of circulating pancreastatin

Recently, we showed that the ECL cells in the oxyntic mucosa of the rat stomach are an important source of circulating pancreastatin, a fragment of chromogranin A. The present study examined how much the ECL cells contribute to the circulating levels of pancreastatin during omeprazole-evoked hypergastrinemia. Rats received omeprazole (400 μmol kg −1 day −1) by the oral route for 3 weeks. Two weeks after the start of the treatment, the rats were subjected to a sham operation or fundectomy. The concentrations of gastrin and pancreastatin in serum were monitored before and after the operations. The ECL cells were visualized by pancreastatin immunostaining and their number was determined. The activity of oxyntic mucosal histidine decarboxylase (HDC) was measured before and after 2 weeks of omeprazole treatment. Omeprazole-induced hypergastrinemia resulted in elevated serum pancreastatin and increased oxyntic mucosal HDC activity. Pancreastatin-immunoreactive cells were equally numerous before and after 2 weeks of omeprazole treatment. After surgical removal of the ECL cells by fundectomy, the serum gastrin concentration remained high whereas the serum pancreastatin concentration decreased by 90%. We conclude that the ECL cells in omeprazole-treated rats are responsible for 90% of circulating pancreastatin.

Inhibition of gastrin-stimulated enterochromaffin-like cell proliferation and mucosal histamine production in the rat stomach by the somatostatin analogue octreotide

The effect of octreotide, a potent and long-acting analogue of somatostatin, on gastrin-stimulated proliferation and function of enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells were examined in rats. Animals were divided into four groups and each group was continuously infused with saline, octreotide alone (40 μg/kg per day), gastrin alone (60 nmol/kg per day), or octreotide (40 μg/kg per day) plus gastrin (60 nmol/kg per day) respectively for 9 days via osmotic minipumps. Gastrin induced the increase of the bromodeoxyuridine labeling index and density of oxyntic mucosal ECL cells as well as oxyntic mucosal histidine decarboxylase activity. Octreotide completely abolished the gastrin-induced increases in the labeling index and density of ECL cells and oxyntic mucosal histidine decarboxylase activity. These results indicate that octreotide inhibits gastrin-stimulated proliferation of ECL cells and histamine production by these cells.

Gastrin regulates histidine decarboxylase activity and mRNA abundance in rat oxyntic mucosa.

Gastrin release histamine from the oxyntic mucosa, stimulates the enzymatic activity of histidine decarboxylase (HDC), increases HDC mRNA abundance, and has a trophic effect on the enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cell. In the present study, we examined the effect of exogenous gastrin on HDC activity and mRNA and the time scale of increase and decline of HDC activity and mRNA. Rats received intravenous infusion of gastrin-(1-17) in different doses or periods of time. Oxyntic mucosal HDC activity and mRNA abundance increased significantly with serum gastrin concentrations in the physiological range. The onset of response was rapid and maximal for both parameters after 2 h. Poststimulatory decrease was maximal 2 h after cessation of gastrin infusion. Those observations suggest that HDC enzymatic activity and mRNA abundance are important in meal-to-meal regulation of gastric secretion. Furthermore, HDC enzymatic activity and mRNA abundance varied in parallel, indicating that HDC mRNA abundance is important in the overall regulation of gastric mucosal HDC activity.

Correlation between inhibition of gastric acid secretion, plasma gastrin, and oxyntic mucosal histidine decarboxylase activity in the rat.

Female rats were treated for 1 week with ranitidine (125-1700 mumol/kg.day, given subcutaneously by means of osmotic minipumps), the proton pump inhibitor omeprazole (10-400 mumol/kg.day orally), or vehicle. Acid secretion, plasma gastrin levels, and oxyntic mucosal histidine decarboxylase (HDC) activity were determined. Both compounds dose-dependently inhibited maximally stimulated gastric acid secretion and caused a parallel increase in plasma gastrin levels. There was very good correlation between plasma gastrin levels and HDC activity for both compounds, although higher oxyntic mucosal HDC activity was found during ranitidine treatment. The higher HDC activity in the ranitidine-treated rats indicated the presence of a histamine H2-receptor on the ECL cells. It is concluded that, regardless of what kind of antisecretory agent is used, a dose-dependent inhibition of gastric acid secretion results in a parallel increase in plasma levels of gastrin, and as a consequence the HDC activity in the rat oxyntic mucosa is increased.

Time-Course of Development and Reversal of Gastric Endocrine Cell Hyperplasia After Inhibition of Acid Secretion: Studies With Omeprazole and Ranitidine in Intact and Antrectomized Rats

In intact rats plasma gastrin levels were increased during a 20-wk treatment course with either omeprazole or ranitidine. Although plasma gastrin levels were the same during treatment, the enterochromaffinlike (ECL) cell density increased approximately linearly with time at a rate correlated to the plasma gastrin level. Antrectomy prevented the ECL cell hyperplasia seen in omeprazole-treated rats, suggesting that it was not caused by omeprazole per se. Changes in ECL cell density roughly paralleled changes in oxyntic mucosal histidine carboxylase activity and histamine concentration. Treatment with omeprazole also raised stomach weight and antral gastrin and gastrin cell density, reduced antral somatostatin cell density, but did not affect enterochromaffin cell density. Within 19 days of cessation of a 10-wk treatment course, plasma gastrin levels, oxyntic mucosal histidine decarboxylase activity, and antral gastrin and somatostatin cell densities had returned to control levels. The stomach weight was normal within 5-10 wk, antral gastrin concentration within 10 wk, and oxyntic mucosal ECL cell density and histamine concentration within 20 wk. After renewed treatment with omeprazole for 10 wk starting 10 wk after completion of the first omeprazole treatment period, changes in all parameters were of similar magnitude in animals previously treated with omeprazole and those previously treated with vehicle. The results suggest that the effects described are reversible and that gastrin cells turn over more rapidly than ECL cells.