Prostaglandins of the E type may have a potential role in pancreatic physiology and pathophysiology. Because prostaglandins of the E type inhibit HCl secretion in parietal cells via a specific receptor by inhibition of adenylylcyclase, we studied whether a similar mechanism exists in the exocrine pancreas. Isolated rat pancreatic acini were incubated with various concentrations of secretagogues, such as cholecystokinin-octapeptide (CCK-8), bombesin, carbachol, and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), in the absence or presence of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and amylase secretion was measured. For receptor binding studies, acini and pancreatic membranes were incubated with [3H]PGE2 and either unlabeled PGE2 or other types of prostaglandins. PGE2 (10(-13) to 10(-5) M) did not inhibit basal amylase secretion. However, CCK-8-stimulated secretion was significantly inhibited. Stimulation of secretion by bombesin, carbachol, VIP, and secretin was also inhibited by PGE2, but not as pronounced as CCK-8-stimulated secretion. The formation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate induced by CCK-8 was markedly inhibited by simultaneous incubation with PGE2. Furthermore, PGE2 slightly but significantly reduced the CCK-8-induced efflux of 45Ca2+ from prelabeled acini. Intact acini and a membrane fraction bound [3H]PGE2 and this function could be equally competed by either unlabeled PGE2 or PGE1 in contrast to less-related prostaglandins such as PGF2 alpha, PGD2, and prostacyclin. We conclude that prostaglandins of the E type inhibit pancreatic enzyme secretion stimulated by various secretagogues. This function is mediated via specific receptors for PGE. With regard to CCK-8-stimulated secretion this function may be mediated by an inhibition of formation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate.