EFFECTS OF ENPROSTIL ON GASTRIC ENDOCRINE SECRETION DURING CHRONIC ADMINISTRATION OF LANSOPRAZOLE

We investigated changes in the secretory kinetics of gastric endocrine cells related to the administration of lansoprazole, and the effects of enprostil on these altered kinetics. Male Wistar-derived 8-week-old rats were allotted to a control group, a lansoprazole administration group, an enprostil administration group, and a lansoprazole + enprost il administration group. Lansoprazole (30 mg/kg once a day for 4 weeks ) and enprostil (10 mu g/kg twice a day for 4 weeks) were administered into the gastric lumen with a gastric tube. At this time, blood was c ollected and immunohistological staining of gastric endocrine cells wa s conducted to investigate the secretory kinetics. Lansoprazole admini stration induced hypergastrinemia, increase of gastrin cells, and incr ease of enterochromaffin-like cells. Enprostil administration induced increase of somatostatin cells, The group administered lansoprazole enprostil exhibited significant decreases in serum gastrin level, tota l gastrin cell count, and total enterochromaffin-like cell count, comp ared with the group administered lansoprazole alone. These findings su ggest that enprostil may ameliorate the alteration in gastric endocrin e secretion produced by the chronic administration of lansoprazole.