We have recently shown that in rat parietal cells the glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) variants 7-36 amide, 1-37, and 1-36 amide stimulate H+ production as indirectly measured by [14C]aminopyrine (AP) accumulation. This response to the GLP-1 peptides was intracellularly mediated by activation of adenylate cyclase and by adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) as second messenger. In the present study, we compared prostaglandin (PG)E2, somatostatin, and the protein kinase A antagonist Rp-adenosine-3',5'-monophosphorothioate (Rp-cAMPS) with respect to their inhibitory effects on parietal cell function induced by GLP-1 or histamine. PGE2 and somatostatin noncompetitively inhibited AP accumulation and cAMP production in response to the GLP-1 variants and histamine (IC50): [mean inhibitory concn 5 x 10(-9) M PGE2; 3 x 10(-7) somatostatin]; at their maximal concentrations PGE2 (10(-7) M) and somatostatin (10(-6) M) caused 85 and 65% inhibition, respectively. Treatment with pertussis toxin (PT; 250 ng/ml; 4 h) reversed the inhibitory effect of PGE2 and somatostatin on AP accumulation and cAMP production. At 2 x 10(-3) M (IC50: 3 x 10(-4) M) Rp-cAMPS completely inhibited AP accumulation induced by the GLP-1 variants or histamine; this effect was insensitive to PT. Specificity of Rp-cAMPs as protein kinase A inhibitor is suggested by inhibition of AP accumulation in response to Sp-cAMPS and N6,O2-dibutyryl adenosine 3',5'-cyclic phosphate sodium, and forskolin, activators of protein kinase A and adenylate cyclase, respectively. We conclude that the parietal cell responses to GLP-1 and histamine are inhibited by identical mechanisms. Effects of PGE2 and somatostatin are mediated by the PT-sensitive subunit of adenylate cyclase Gi, whereas Rp-cAMPS interferes with cAMP-dependent mechanisms that are insensitive to PT.