In a previous study, we found that first incubating guinea pig pancreatic acini with carbachol caused desensitization of the enzyme secretory response to cholecystokinin-octapeptide (CCK-8), bombesin, and carbachol but not that to substance P. This carbachol-induced desensitization could be accounted for by carbachol-induced down-regulation of receptors for CCK-8, bombesin, and carbachol. Although carbachol did not desensitize the enzyme secretory response to substance P, an effect of carbachol on substance P receptors was not examined. In the present study, in dispersed acini from guinea pig pancreas, substance P caused a twofold increase in amylase secretion. Stimulation was half-maximal at 0.7 nM and was maximal at 10 nM. Analysis of the ability of substance P to inhibit binding of 125I-substance P to substance P receptors indicated that acini possess a single class of receptors for substance P (Kd = 0.8 +/- 0.1 nM; Bmax = 1,037 +/- 145 fmol/mg of DNA). There was a close correlation between the relative potency with which substance P stimulated amylase secretion (0.7 nM) and the potency for inhibiting binding of 125I-substance P (Kd = 0.8 nM). First incubating pancreatic acini with carbachol did not alter either substance P-stimulated enzyme secretion or binding of 125I-substance P to substance P receptors, whereas in the same experiments, carbachol reduced binding of 125I-CCK-8 to cholecystokinin receptors by 50% and decreased in CCK-8-stimulated enzyme secretion by 50%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)