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[Vasoactive intestinal peptide: a novel neurotrophic factor].

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is a 28-amino acid neuropeptide with potent growth-related actions on dissociated neural cells. In recent years its role in brain development has been elucidated: VIP has been shown to be a regulator of early neurodevelopment and embryonic growth, a stimulator of neocortical astrocytogenesis and a neuroprotective molecule against excitotoxic and other neurotoxic substances. Thus VIP appears as a fundamental regulator of brain growth and development, and a potent neuroprotective agent, possibly involved in pathological processes such as microcephalies and some neurological impairments observed in very premature babies. Similarly, VIP and VIP derivatives could represent a new avenue in the search of therapeutics for excitotoxic lesions of the developing brain.

Brain↗

Interaction between catecholamines and vasoactive intestinal peptide in cultured astrocytes.

Receptors for vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) were demonstrated with cyclic AMP as the second messenger on astroglial cells cultured from the cerebral cortex, striatum, hippocampus and brain stem of the newborn rat. Vasoactive intestinal peptide produced increased accumulations of cyclic AMP in nM and microM concentrations, the former more pronounced in the cultures of brain stem, while the latter was more pronounced in the other cultures studied, indicating regional differences in the activation of cyclic AMP of VIP receptors. Vasoactive intestinal peptide inhibited isoproterenol-induced accumulation of cyclic AMP dose-dependently, with some regional differences, suggesting interactions between the second messenger systems of beta- and VIP receptors. On the other hand, there was no inhibition of the NA-induced accumulation of cyclic AMP in the presence of VIP, which is in agreement with an interaction between the second messenger systems for VIP and the alpha-adrenoceptor. The data support interactions between the second messenger systems for VIP and alpha- and beta-adrenoceptors on cultured astrocytes. The functional implications are at present unknown, but it might be that the peptide can modulate the response of the second messenger to catecholamines on astroglial cells through intramembrane mechanisms.

Animals↗

Effect of infused vasoactive intestinal peptide on airway function in normal subjects.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide, one of the putative neurotransmitters of non-adrenergic inhibitory nerves in human airways, is a potent relaxant of human airways in vitro. Previous in vivo studies of infused vasoactive intestinal peptide in asthmatic subjects have shown only a small bronchodilator effect, which may have been secondary to the cardiovascular effects of the peptide. The effect on airway function of infused vasoactive intestinal peptide was studied in normal subjects, who readily develop bronchodilation in response to a beta agonist. Separate experiments were designed to assess whether there is any synergy between this peptide and the beta agonist isoprenaline. Incremental doses of 1, 3, and 6 pmol/kg/min of vasoactive intestinal peptide were infused for 15 minutes. At 6 pmol/kg/min it caused a mean fall in systolic blood pressure from 108 to 88 mm Hg and a rise in heart rate from 71 to 95 beats/min. There was no significant change in specific airways conductance (sGaw) at any dose of vasoactive intestinal peptide. No significant changes were found with placebo. Isoprenaline (400 microgram) given by inhalation at the end of the infusion produced a mean increase in sGaw of 50%. Infused peptide caused no significant change in the cumulative dose-response curve for inhaled isoprenaline. The lack of effect of vasoactive intestinal peptide on airway responses in vivo may be due to rapid enzymatic breakdown of the peptide or to the fact that dosage has to be limited by the cardiovascular effects.

Adult↗

The influence of vasoactive intestinal peptide receptors in dispersed acini from rat submandibular gland on cyclic AMP production and mucin release.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide has been identified as an important regulator of submandibular salivary gland function, consistent with its localization with acetylcholine in parasympathetic neurones innervating this gland. Enzymatically dispersed acini from rat submandibular gland are a useful system in which to study gland regulation at the cellular level. Here, three aspects of vasoactive intestinal peptide interactions with acini were examined: inhibition of binding of [125I]-vasoactive intestinal peptide, stimulation of cyclic AMP production and enhancement of mucin release. Vasoactive intestinal peptide and peptide histidineisoleucineamide inhibited [125I]-vasoactive intestinal peptide binding to intact acini, with IC50 values of 16 +/- 3 and 46 +/- 17 nM, respectively. This rank order of potency agrees with that observed previously in assays using rat submandibular gland membranes and is similar to values obtained in assays measuring increases in cyclic AMP production in which the ED50 values for vasoactive intestinal peptide and peptide histidineisoleucineamide were 3.1 +/- 1.8 and 29 +/- 13 nM, respectively. Although vasoactive intestinal peptide stimulation of cyclic AMP production was only about 10% of that seen in response to isoproterenol, the levels of mucin release induced by the two agents were more similar. The ED50 for vasoactive intestinal peptide-stimulated mucin release was 0.12 +/- 0.05 nM, thus suggesting an activation anomaly in the vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor-coupled signal transduction pathway at a point between cyclic AMP production and mucin release.

Animals↗

Effects of histamine H(2)-receptor antagonists on human plasma levels of calcitonin gene-related peptide, substance P and vasoactive intestinal peptide.

The effects of the histamine H(2)-receptor antagonists (H(2)-antagonists), ranitidine, nizatidine, cimetidine and famotidine, on plasma levels of gastrointestinal peptides, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), substance P (SP), and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) was investigated with respect to regulation of gastric mucosal blood flow, in healthy volunteers. H(2)-Antagonists or placebo was orally administered to five healthy male volunteers. Venous blood samples were taken before and after drug administration. The levels of plasma gastrointestinal peptides were determined by enzyme immunoassay. The administration of ranitidine and nizatidine caused significant increases in plasma CGRP and SP levels at 30 to 120 min compared with the placebo group. Peak plasma CGRP levels (39.8+/-3.1 and 40.6+/-3.6 pg mL(-1)) were achieved 60 min after administration of ranitidine and nizatidine, respectively. Maximum plasma SP levels (21.3+/-5.2 and 22.8+/-4.2 pg mL(-1)) were reached 60 min after administration of ranitidine and nizatidine, respectively. However, all H(2)-antagonists did not alter the levels of VIP. The released CGRP and SP by ranitidine and nizatidine administration may produce a gastroprotective effect, increase mucosal blood flow, and inhibit acid secretion in the gastrointestinal tract.

Adult↗

A natural variant type II G protein-coupled receptor for vasoactive intestinal peptide with altered function.

The vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and its G protein-coupled receptors VPAC1 and VPAC2 prominently mediate diverse physiological functions in the neural, endocrine, and immune systems. A deletion variant of mouse VPAC2 has been identified in immune cells that lacks amino acids 367-380 at the carboxyl-terminal end of the seventh transmembrane domain. When expressed at equivalent levels in a human Jurkat T cell line, which has very low endogenous expression of human VPAC1 and VPAC2, wild-type and deletion-variant VPAC2 bound the same amount of 125I-VIP with similar affinity. Unlike wild-type VPAC2, however, deletion-variant VPAC2 did not transduce VIP-elicited increases in intracellular concentration of cyclic AMP, chemotaxis, or suppression of generation of interleukin-2. Natural deletion of part of the last transmembrane domain of VPAC2 thus abrogates signaling functions without apparent alterations of expression or ligand binding.

Animals↗

Development of dry powder inhalation system of novel vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) analogue for pulmonary administration.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) exerts a relaxing action on tracheal smooth muscle which is mediated through interaction with VIP receptors. The deficiency of VIP in the airways has been implicated in the pathogenesis of asthma. Thus, the administration of VIP may be useful for the therapy of pulmonary diseases. However, the therapeutic application of VIP is largely limited by its rapid degradation in addition to the systemic adverse effects due to the wide distribution of VIP receptors. To overcome these problems, we succeeded to synthesize a novel VIP derivative of VIP, [R15, 20, 21, L17]-VIP-GRR (IK312532), and to prepare its dry powder for the topical administration to the lung. The physicochemical properties of dry powder were evaluated by laser diffraction and cascade impactor. The laser diffraction analysis indicated that the carrier and fine particles had median diameter of 65.6 and 4.5 microm, respectively, and the air flow at the pressure of 0.15 MPa or higher resulted in the high dispersion and significant separation of fine particle containing peptide from the carrier molecule. The cascade impactor analysis clearly showed the high emission of dry powder from capsule and the deposition of peptide on stages 3 of the cascade impactor. The intratracheal administration of dry powder inhaler (DPI) of VIP or IK312532 brought about a significant decrease of maximal number of binding sites (Bmax) for [125I]VIP in anterior and posterior lobes of rat right lung, suggesting a significant occupancy of lung VIP receptors. This effect by IK312532-DPI compared with VIP-DPI lasted for a longer period. Thus, IK312532-DPI may be a pharmacologically useful drug delivery system for the VIP therapy of pulmonary diseases such as asthma.

Administration, Inhalation↗

Characterization of binding sites for beta-adrenergic agonists and vasoactive intestinal peptide in the rat harderian gland.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) receptors and beta-adrenergic receptors were investigated in rat Harderian gland membranes using 125I-VIP and 125I-cyanopindolol (125I-CYP), respectively, as ligands. The receptor bindings were rapid, reversible, saturable, specific, and dependent on time, temperature, and membrane concentration. The stoichiometric data suggested the presence of two classes of VIP receptors with Kd values of 0.36 and 65.37 nM and binding capacities of 323 and 39,537 fmol VIP/mg protein, respectively. The interaction showed a high degree of specificity, as suggested by competitive displacement experiments with several peptides structurally or not structurally related to VIP as follows: VIP > helodermin > rGRF > PHI > > secretin. Glucagon, somatostatin, insulin, and pancreastatin were ineffective at concentrations up to 1 microM. However, the stoichiometric data suggest the presence of one class of binding sites for 125I-CYP. The Kd for the single site was 290 pM with a binding capacity of 32 pmol/L. The pharmacological characterization of 125I-CYP binding to membranes showed that only isoproterenol, a beta-adrenergic agonist, and norepinephrine, an alpha beta-adrenergic agonist, was as effective as propranolol in inhibiting 125I-CYP binding to Harderian gland membranes. However, alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenergic agonists and blockers such as methoxamine, prazosin, clonidine, and yohimbine were shown to be ineffective. These results demonstrate the presence of specific VIP and beta-adrenergic receptors in the Harderian gland and suggest a role for VIP and beta-adrenergic agonists in the physiology of this gland.

Animals↗

Oral sodium regulates extrahepatic metabolism of vasoactive intestinal peptide.

1. Gastric sodium loading causes release of vasoactive intestinal peptide from the gastrointestinal tract and, in rabbits on a low-sodium diet, an apparent decrease in metabolism of vasoactive intestinal peptide by the liver. Other workers have shown that decreased hepatic metabolism of vasoactive intestinal peptide is accompanied by an increase in pulmonary metabolism of vasoactive intestinal peptide. To determine whether oral sodium loading also regulates non-hepatic metabolism of vasoactive intestinal peptide, metabolic clearance studies of intravenously infused vasoactive intestinal peptide were performed. These studies were performed in male New Zealand White rabbits equilibrated on normal- and low-sodium diets before and after an acute gastric sodium load of 1.5 mmol/kg. 2. The metabolic clearance rate of vasoactive intestinal peptide was significantly greater in rabbits on the low-sodium diet than in rabbits on the normal-sodium diet both before (P less than 0.025) and after (P less than 0.05) a gastric sodium load. Significant decreases in metabolic clearance rate were observed in response to the sodium load in both dietary groups (normal-sodium diet, P less than 0.05; low-sodium diet, P less than 0.025). The theoretical secretion rate of vasoactive intestinal peptide also fell after the gastric sodium load in rabbits on the low-sodium diet (P less than 0.05) and the half-life of vasoactive intestinal peptide increased (P less than 0.01). 3. We conclude that the non-hepatic metabolism of vasoactive intestinal peptide appears to be responsive to both chronic dietary sodium intake and acute gastric sodium loading.

Administration, Oral↗

Pharmacologically distinct vasoactive intestinal peptide binding sites: CNS localization and role in embryonic growth.

In vitro autoradiography with [125I]vasoactive intestinal peptide revealed that the vasoactive intestinal peptide analogue, stearyl-norleucine17 vasoactive intestinal peptide, reported to be inactive at adenylyl cyclase-linked receptors in astrocytes, displaced a subset of vasoactive intestinal peptide binding sites on rat brain sections. These sites were widespread in adult rat brains and enriched in the olfactory bulb and thalamus, and corresponded to previously demonstrated GTP-insensitive vasoactive intestinal peptide binding sites. Stearyl-norleucine17 vasoactive intestinal peptide also identified receptors in rat lung and liver. In the adult brain, the stearyl-norleucine analog displaced only GTP-insensitive vasoactive intestinal peptide binding sites. In contrast, stearyl-norleucine17 vasoactive intestinal peptide-displaceable sites in the embryonic day 9 mouse appeared to include both GTP-sensitive and GTP-insensitive binding sites. This observation suggested the presence of an embryonic vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor with distinct pharmacological properties. Treatment of whole cultured mouse embryos with stearyl-norleucine17 vasoactive intestinal peptide resulted in stimulation of embryonic growth, with the stearyl-norleucine analog equipotent to vasoactive intestinal peptide, but less efficacious at higher concentrations (10(-7) M). Embryonic growth was inhibited by pituitary adenylyl cyclase-activating peptide and 8-bromoadenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate. In addition, 8-bromoadenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate inhibited stearyl-norleucine17 vasoactive intestinal peptide-stimulated growth. The results of the current study support the hypothesis that vasoactive intestinal peptide regulation of early postimplantation embryonic growth occurs, at least in part, independently of adenylyl cyclase stimulation.

8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate↗

Colonic vasoactive intestinal peptide nerves in inflammatory bowel disease.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide is a neuropeptide with potent modulatory activity on intestinal immunity and may be implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Previous studies have reported abnormal morphology of vasoactive intestinal peptide-stained enteric nerves, in addition to increased, normal or decreased levels of extractable peptide in Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) tissues. These observations have not been correlated with the amount of enteric nerve fibers or the degree of mucosal inflammation. The investigation was intended to determine whether abnormalities of vasoactive intestinal peptide in IBD are related to quantitative changes of enteric nerve fibers or mucosal inflammation, and whether they are specific for CD or UC. To do this, digitized morphometric analysis was applied to a large number of IBD and control colonic surgical specimens that were immunostained for vasoactive intestinal peptide and S100 protein and scored for severity of inflammation. The results showed that, as compared with controls, there is a marked decrease of vasoactive intestinal peptide-immunoreactive nerve fibers in the lamina propria and submucosa (P less than 0.0001), and of S100-immunoreactive nerve fibers in the lamina propria (P less than 0.0001) of patients with IBD. In the lamina propria but not the submucosa, the variation of decrease is significantly associated with the severity (P less than 0.0001) but not the type (P greater than 0.9) of IBD because it is detected in both CD and UC. We conclude that in IBD there is loss of mucosal neuropeptidic innervation that is intimately associated with inflammation. This loss probably represents a nonspecific event subsequent to damage to enteric nerve fibers but may contribute to disruption of local immunoregulation.

Adolescent↗

Vascular effects of pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide: a comparison with vasoactive intestinal peptide.

The effects of pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide (PACAP) on the blood pressure of the anesthetized rat and on the isolated rat tail artery were investigated and compared to those of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). PACAP-38, PACAP-27 and the C-terminal fragment 16-38 caused a dose-dependent decrease in the systemic blood pressure. PACAP-27 and PACAP-38 were equipotent with VIP. The C-terminal fragment 16-38 was much less potent than VIP. The duration of action was longer for equimolar doses of PACAP-38 and PACAP-27 than for VIP and much longer than for PACAP 16-38. PACAP-27 and the phosphodiesterase inhibitor rolipram given in combination produced additive vasodepressive responses. In vitro PACAP-38, PACAP-27, VIP and PACAP 16-38 relaxed the phenylephrine-precontracted rat tail artery. PACAP-38 and PACAP-27 were equipotent with VIP. PACAP 16-38 was much less potent than the full-length peptides. The responses were resistant to atropine and propranolol. Addition of VIP 1 microM to preparations exposed to 1 microM PACAP-38 or -27 did not produce a further relaxation. VIP-like peptides, PACAP in particular, are known to activate adenylate cyclase and to elevate the plasma cyclic AMP (cAMP) concentration. cAMP was found to be a potent vasodepressor in the anaesthetized rat and a potent vasodilator of precontracted blood vessels. On the basis of these results it cannot be excluded that the vascular effects of PACAP are secondary to the effect of elevated levels of extracellular cAMP.

Animals↗

Ethanol inhibits dual receptor stimulation of pineal cAMP and cGMP by vasoactive intestinal peptide and phenylephrine.

Concurrent activation of vasoactive intestinal peptide and alpha 1-adrenergic receptor resulted in greater than 20-fold increases in pineal cAMP and cGMP accumulation. We now find that an intoxicating level of ethanol (0.2%, 34 mM) inhibits greater than 50% the large increases in pineal cAMP and cGMP produced by concurrent treatment with vasoactive intestinal peptide and phenylephrine. The potency of the various alcohols tested was directly related to their chain length. This inhibition appears to be specific since a five-fold higher concentration of ethanol does not inhibit the stimulation of cAMP and cGMP accumulation produced by concurrent treatment with isoproterenol and phenylephrine. Accordingly, it seems that one mechanism of action of ethanol on neural function may be its ability to selectively inhibit ethanol-sensitive integrative mechanisms which regulate cyclic nucleotides.

Alcohols↗

Novel cyclic peptide agonist of high potency and selectivity for the type II vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor.

Ro 25-1392 [Ac-Glu8,OCH3-Tyr10,Lys12,Nle17,Ala19,A sp25,Leu26,-Lys27,28-vasoactive intestinal peptide(cyclo 21-25)] is a cyclic peptide analog of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) that potently exerts cellular effects typical of VIP. The selectivity of Ro 25-1392 for type I (VIPR1) and type II (VIPR2) VIP receptors was investigated first in competitive binding studies using Chinese hamster ovary cell transfectants stably expressing recombinant human VIPR1 and VIPR2. Nonradioactive Ro 25-1392 was as potent a competitive inhibitor as VIP for the binding of 125I-VIP to VIPR2 transfectants (Ki = 9.6 +/- 1.0 and 16 +/- 1.7 nM, respectively; mean +/- S.E.M., n = 4). In contrast, Ro 25-1392 had a very low affinity for VIPR1, compared with VIP, and attained a maximum of only 40% mean inhibition of binding of 125I-VIP at 1 microM. The affinity of VIP (Ki = 3.4 +/- 1.5 nM, mean +/- S.E.M., n = 4) for binding to VIPR1 was 1000-fold greater than that of Ro 25-1392. Ro 25-1392 evoked concurrent and concentration-dependent increases in intracellular levels of calcium and cyclic AMP (EC50 = 3.0 +/- 0.4 nM, mean +/- S.E.M., n = 4) in VIPR2 transfectants, but not in VIPR1 transfectants. The VIP receptor specificity of Ro 25-1392 was confirmed by preincubation of Chinese hamster ovary transfectants with 0.1 microM Ro 25-1392 for 18 hr at 37 degrees C, to down-regulate each type of VIP receptor. Pretreatment of VIPR2 transfectants with Ro 25-1392 decreased Bmax by a mean of 58% and VIP-induced increases in the intracellular concentration of cyclic AMP by a mean of 65%. In contrast, there was no significant change in VIPR1 transfectants after pretreatment with Ro 25-1392. Ro 25-1392 thus is selectively recognized by VIPR2, with consequent initiation of cyclic AMP and Ca+2 signals and down-regulation of VIPR2. This potent analog of VIP may prove useful for investigations of VIPR2-mediated physiological effects of VIP and exploration of the roles of VIPR2 in diseases.

Animals↗

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP): an amnestic neuropeptide.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is a neuropeptide present in high concentrations in the hippocampus. The studies reported here demonstrate that VIP administered into the third ventricle of the brain caused amnesia in mice trained on a left-right footshock avoidance task in a T-maze. VIP resulted in amnesia when administered directly into the rostral portion of the hippocampus at a 10-fold lower dose than was needed to produce amnesia when VIP was administered intracerebroventricularly. When VIP was administered 24 hr after training, it failed to impair retention measured a week later. VIP receptor antagonist ([4-Cl-D-Phe6,Leu17]VIP) enhanced retention when administered into the rostral portion of the hippocampus, suggesting that VIP plays a physiological role in memory modulation. VIP receptor antagonist administered 24 hr after training did not facilitate retention. To gain some insight as to how VIP may be affecting memory processing, we determined if some memory-improving compounds showed a selective ability to block amnesia induced by VIP. The amnestic effect of VIP was blocked by peripheral administration of the memory-enhancing agents, arecoline, naloxone and ST 587 (a noradrenergic receptor agonist) but not by cholecystokinin octapeptide. Central administration of arecoline, but not neuropeptide Y, blocked the amnestic effect of VIP. It is concluded that VIP is a potent amnestic peptide.

Amnesia↗

Autoradiographic mapping of [mono[125I]iodo-Tyr10, MetO17]vasoactive intestinal peptide binding sites in the rat brain.

The distribution of vasoactive intestinal peptide binding sites in the rat brain was examined by in vitro autoradiography on slide-mounted sections. A fully characterized monoiodinated form of vasoactive intestinal peptide (M-[125I]VIP) previously shown to maintain in the central nervous system the full biological activity of native vasoactive intestinal peptide was used for this study. In initial kinetic and pharmacological experiments the binding of M-[125I]vasoactive intestinal peptide to slide-mounted sections was shown to be time-dependent, saturable and reversible. Association of M-[125I]VIP specific binding was maximal within 90-120 minutes. Specific binding, corresponding to approximately 50% of total binding was saturable, of high affinity (Kd of 76.6 pM) and low capacity (fmol/mg prot range). Dissociation of M-[125I]VIP was maximal at 10 minutes. Unlabeled vasoactive intestinal peptide and the two structurally related peptides "peptide-histidine-isoleucine" (PHI) and secretin competed in a concentration-dependent manner for sites labeled by M-[125I]vasoactive intestinal peptide with the following rank order of potencies: vasoactive intestinal peptide greater than PHI greater than secretin. Vasoactive intestinal peptide receptors, as revealed by quantitative autoradiography, are present at various levels of the neuraxis. High densities were observed in olfactory bulb, cerebral cortex (highest in layers I, II, IV and VI), dentate gyrus, subiculum, various thalamic and hypothalamic nuclei, superior colliculus, locus coeruleus, area postrema, subependymal layer and pineal gland. Intermediate densities were found in the amygdala, nucleus accumbens, caudate-putamen, septum, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, CA1 to CA4 fields of the hippocampus and central gray. No specific binding of M-[125I]vasoactive intestinal peptide was observed in white matter tracts such as corpus callosum, anterior commissure, medial forebrain bundle and fornix. The mapping of M-[125I]vasoactive intestinal peptide binding sites as revealed by autoradiography on slide-mounted sections indicates an association, although not exclusive, of vasoactive intestinal peptide receptors with brain regions involved in the processing of specific sensory inputs.

Animals↗

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) receptors in the canine gastrointestinal tract.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is a putative neurotransmitter in both the brain and peripheral tissues. To define possible target tissues of VIP we have used quantitative receptor autoradiography to localize and quantify the distribution of 125I-VIP receptor binding sites in the canine gastrointestinal tract. While the distribution of VIP binding sites was different for each segment examined, specific VIP binding sites were localized to the mucosa, the muscularis mucosa, the smooth muscle of submucosal arterioles, lymph nodules, and the circular and longitudinal smooth muscle of the muscularis externa. These results identify putative target tissues of VIP action in the canine gastrointestinal tract. In correlation with physiological data, VIP sites appear to be involved in the regulation of a variety of gastrointestinal functions including epithelial ion transport, gastric secretion, hemodynamic regulation, immune response, esophageal, gastric and intestinal motility.

Animals↗

Specific binding of vasoactive intestinal peptide to human circulating mononuclear cells.

The interaction of the neuropeptide vasoactive intestinal peptide with human circulating mononuclear cells has been studied. Mononuclear cells were able to bind radiolabelled vasoactive intestinal peptide; the binding was rapid, reversible, saturable, and specific for vasoactive intestinal peptide. A fragment of vasoactive intestinal peptide (10-28) was 25-fold less effective than intact peptide as a competitor for the binding of the tracer. Secretin was 100-fold less effective as a competitor and glucagon competed poorly even at concentrations 10 000 times greater than that of the tracer molecule. In tracer dilution studies, the binding suggested a single class of binding sites with an apparent dissociation constant (Kd) of 2.4 X 10(-10) M and a capacity of 2 000 sites per cell. In the presence of vasoactive intestinal peptide, there was a dose-dependent augmentation of cyclic AMP in the mononuclear cells. The concentration of vasoactive intestinal peptide which produced a half-maximal effect was the same as the Kd for the peptide binding. We conclude that mononuclear cells have specific high-affinity binding sites for vasoactive intestinal peptide. Interactions between mononuclear cells and vasoactive intestinal peptide may be an important mechanism modulating local immune responses within tissues innervated by vasoactive intestinal peptide containing neurons.

Binding, Competitive↗