The effect of pentaghrelin on amylase release from the rat and porcine dispersed pancreatic acinar cells in vitro

Ghrelin-28 was found to inhibit the pancreatic enzyme output in rats, although the effect of pentaghrelin has not been studied. The effect of ghrelin on pig exocrine pancreas remains largely unknown. The aim of the present study was: (1) to establish a model of porcine dispersed pancreatic acinar cells in vitro and compare it with an existing rat model, and (2) to investigate the effect of pentaghrelin on amylase release from the rat and pig pancreatic acini. The rat and porcine acinar cell preparations released amylase in response to cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8) stimulation in a dose-related manner. Pentaghrelin hardly inhibited the amylase release in rat preparations (maximum inhibition with 10(-9) M pentaghrelin). It stimulated amylase release in porcine preparations, however, no dose response was found in a range of doses between 10(-10) and 10(-7) M. Concluding, pentaghrelin may stimulate amylase release from porcine acinar cells through as yet unknown mechanisms. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.