Cyclic nucleotides of canine antral smooth muscle. Effects of acetylcholine, catecholamines and gastrin.

1. The effects of acetylcholine, catecholamines and gastrin on the intracellular content of cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP in antral circular muscle have been determined. 2. Acetylcholine results in a significant but transient increase in intracellular cyclic GMP. 3. Isoproterenol and norepinephrine increase intracellular cyclic AMP. Based on half-maximal effective doses, isoproterenol is 2.7-times more effective than norepinephrine. The increase in intracellular cyclic AMP by both agents is inhibited by propranolol but not phentolamine, indicating that both agents act on the muscle cell by a beta-receptor-coupled mechanism. 4. Gastrin has no demonstrable effect on either cyclic AMP or cyclic GMP. This suggests that while gastrin and acetylcholine can produce a like myoelectric response in the muscle cell, the action of gastrin is mediated by a separate receptor, presumably on the muscle cell, and not by a release of acetylcholine.