Vasoactive intestinal peptide stimulated cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase activity in human blood mononuclear cells. The simultaneous presence of a phosphodiesterase inhibitor was required to elicit maximal activation. The apparent Ka value of half the maximal stimulation was about 60 pmol. Secretin exhibited a 170-times lower potency. Other peptides such as glucagon or insulin had no effect even at 1 microM.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Interaction of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) with rat lymphoid cells.

Receptors for vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) have been characterized in rat lymphoid cells. The interaction of [125I] VIP with blood mononuclear cells was rapid, reversible, specific and saturable. At apparent equilibrium, the binding of [125I] VIP was competitively inhibited by native VIP in the 0.01-100 nM range concentration. The binding data were compatible with the existence of two classes of receptors: a high-affinity class with a Kd = 0.050 +/- 0.009 nM and a low binding capacity (2.60 +/- 0.28 fmol/10(6) cells), and a low-affinity class with a Kd = 142 +/- 80 nM and a high binding capacity (1966 +/- 330 fmol/10(6) cells). Secretin, glucagon, insulin and somatostatin did not show any effect at a concentration as high as 100 nM. With spleen lymphoid cells, stoichiometric studies were performed. The binding data were compatible with the existence of two classes of receptors: a high-affinity class with a Kd = 0.100 +/- 0.033 nM and a low binding capacity (4.60 +/- 1.07 fmol/10(6) cells), and low-affinity class with a Kd = 255 +/- 110 nM and high binding capacity (2915 +/- 1160 fmol/10(6) cells). With thymocytes, no binding was obtained under different conditions.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Guanine nucleotide regulation of VIP binding to rat peritoneal macrophage membranes.

In the present study, we have examined the effect of guanine nucleotides on VIP binding to rat peritoneal macrophage membranes. Both guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP) and its nonhydrolizable analog guanosine 5'-beta, Y-imidotriphosphate [Gpp(NH)p] inhibited, in a dose-dependent manner, the VIP binding to its specific binding sites. Half-maximal inhibition (IC50) was observed at 5.4 +/- 0.5 microM GTP. The inhibitory effect of GTP was due to an increase of the dissociation rate of peptide bound to membranes. The specificity of the binding inhibition was assessed from the lack of action of the other nucleotides tested. These results directly suggest the coupling of VIP binding sites with guanine nucleotide binding proteins in rat peritoneal macrophage membranes.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Pancreastatin decreases plasma epinephrine levels in surgical stress in the rat.

Pancreastatin is a novel peptide, isolated from porcine pancreatic extracts, that is known to be derived from chromogranin A. Since chromogranin A-derived peptides have been shown to control secretion from chromaffin cells, we studied the effect of rat pancreastatin, injected intravenously via portal vein, on plasma catecholamine levels in the anesthetized, laparotomized rat. Rat pancreastatin reversibly decreased plasma epinephrine levels, in a dose-dependent manner, without modifying plasma norepinephrine and dopamine levels. These findings suggest that pancreastatin, released from the gastroenteropancreatic system or derived from chromogranin A, may have a role controlling secretion from the adrenal medulla in surgical stress.

Animals↗