The quantitative histologic distribution of pyridoxal phosphate in the rat stomach, effects of drugs influencing secretion.

The quantitative histologic distribution of pyridoxal phosphate (PLP), the coenzyme of histidine decarboxylase in the biosynthesis of histamine as well as the coenzyme of other enzyme systems, was established in the rat glandular stomach in different secretory states. This was accomplished by analyzing PLP with an improved fluorometric microprocedure in histologically identified fresh-frozen microtome tissue sections cut serially through the stomach wall of fed and 24-hr fasted rats, and of the latter injected with drugs that stimulate (histamine, theophylline and urecholine) or inhibit (atropine) secretion. In fasted compared with fed rats, and in fasted rats injected with histamine (low dose) or theophylline, compared with saline injected controls, the PLP level was reduced not only in the chief cell region where PLP is utilized in histamine production, but also in the parietal and mucous neck cell region, indicating PLP function in other enzyme systems in these sites. No change in PLP level occurred when histamine was injected at a high dose known to suppress histidine decarboxylase activity. Administration of urecholine or atropine had negligible effect on the PLP levels, indicating a lack of vagal stimulatory or inhibitory influence.