Effects of the cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase inhibitors, rolipram, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, amrinone and zaprinast, on pancreatic exocrine secretion in dogs.

The effects of the cyclic phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors, rolipram, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX), amrinone and zaprinast on pancreatic exocrine secretion were investigated in anesthetized dogs. Rolipram (1-30 nmol), IBMX (44-440 nmol) or zaprinast (1-10 mumol) injected i.a. elicited a dose-dependent increase in the secretion of pancreatic juice, but amrinone (up to 53 mumol) did not. The bicarbonate concentration in pancreatic juice was increased and the protein concentration was decreased by rolipram and IBMX, but neither was affected by zaprinast. Rolipram elicited more than the respective additive secretory response when added together with secretin, although the stimulatory effects of CCK-8 with rolipram were additive. Rolipram and IBMX, but not zaprinast, increased cyclic AMP concentration but did not affect cyclic GMP concentration. These results suggest that rolipram, IBMX and zaprinast have direct secretory properties on pancreatic exocrine glands of the dog, which may be mediated through the increase of intracellular cyclic AMP concentration, by inhibiting PDE activity. Furthermore, the pancreatic PDE enzyme in the dog pancreas may be mainly a type IV.