Immunocytochemical localisation of pancreastatin and chromogranin A in porcine neuroendocrine tissues

PACAP-(1-38) as neurotransmitter in the porcine adrenal glands

The concentration of pituitary adenylyl cyclase-activating polypeptide [PACAP-(1-38)] in porcine adrenal glands amounted to 14 +/- 3 pmol/g tissue. PACAP immunoreactive (PACAP-IR) fibers innervated adrenal chromaffin cells (often co-localized with choline acetyltransferase). Subcapsular fibers traversed the cortex-innervating endocrine cells and blood vessels [some co-storing mainly calcitonin gene-related peptide but also vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)]. PACAP-IR fibers were demonstrated in the splanchnic nerves, whereas IR adrenal nerve cell bodies were absent. In isolated, vascularly perfused adrenal gland, splanchnic nerve stimulation (16 Hz) and capsaicin (10(-5) M) increased PACAP-(1-38) release (1.6-fold and 6-fold respectively, P = 0.02). PACAP-(1-38) dose-dependently stimulated cortisol (2 x 10(-10) M; 24-fold increase, P = 0.02) and chromogranin A fragment (2 x 10(-9) M; 15-fold increase, P = 0.05) secretion. Both were strongly inhibited by the PAC(1)/VPAC(2) receptor antagonist PACAP-(6-38) (10(-7) M). PACAP-(6-38) also inhibited splanchnic nerve (10 Hz)-induced cortisol secretion but lacked any effect on splanchnic nerve-induced pancreastatin secretion. PACAP-(1-38) (2 x 10(-10) M) decreased vascular resistance from 5.5 +/- 0.6 to 4.6 +/- 0.4 mmHg. min. ml(-1). PACAP-(6-38) had no effect on this response. We conclude that PACAP-(1-38) may play a role in splanchnic nerve-induced adrenal secretion and in afferent reflex pathways.

Large variations in the proteolytic formation of a chromogranin A-derived peptide (GE-25) in neuroendocrine tissues

We have established a radioimmunoassay for GE-25, a peptide present in the C-terminal end of the primary amino acid sequence of chromogranin A where it is flanked by typical proteolytic cleavage sites. Gel-filtration HPLC was used to characterize the molecular sizes of the immunoreactive molecules. The antiserum recognized not only the free peptide but also larger precursors including the proprotein chromogranin A. The tissues with the highest levels of GE-25 immunoreactivity were in decreasing order: the adrenal medulla, the three lobes of the pituitary gland, intestinal mucosa, pancreas and various brain regions. In adrenal medulla and parathyroid gland most of the immunoreactivity was found to be present as intact chromogranin A and some intermediate-sized peptides, without significant amounts of the free peptide. In anterior pituitary, and even more so in intestine, a shift to smaller peptides was seen. In the posterior and intermediate pituitary and in pancreas the predominant immunoreactive material was apparently represented by the free peptide GE-25. In reverse-phase chromatography this peptide eluted exactly like the synthetic standard, which allows a tentative identification as GE-25. In brain tissue the processing of chromogranin A was intermediate, with significant amounts of immunoreactivity corresponding to GE-25 as well as precursor proteins being present. We suggest that in those organs (endocrine pancreas, intermediate and posterior pituitary) where the major hormones are proteolytically processed there is also a concomitant proteolysis of further susceptible peptides. Since GE-25 is apparently formed in vivo and is well conserved between species it seems a good candidate for having specific physiological functions.

Secretion of pancreastatins from the porcine digestive tract

Pancreastatin, a 49-amino acid peptide with a COOH-terminal glycine amide, was originally isolated from porcine pancreas, but pancreastatin immunoreactivity has been found in several neuroendocrine tissues. There are strong indications that pancreastatin is derived from chromogranin A, since the amino acid sequence 240-288 in porcine chromogranin A corresponds to pancreastatin flanked by typical signals for proteolytic processing. We have studied the effect of electric stimulation of the nervous supply to perfused porcine pancreas, antrum, nonantral stomach, and small intestine on the release of immunoreactive pancreastatin, and we characterized the molecular nature of the secreted immunoreactivity by using a radioimmunoassay specific for the COOH-terminal glycine amide of porcine pancreastatin in combination with chromatography. In all tissues nerve stimulation significantly increased the release of immunoreactive pancreastatin. The secreted immunoreactive pancreastatin was heterogeneous, consisting of pancreastatin itself, a COOH-terminal pancreastatin fragment, and NH2-terminally extended pancreastatin forms. Pancreastatin predominated in the perfusate from pancreas and antrum, whereas mainly NH2-terminally extended molecular forms were secreted from the antrectomized stomach and small intestine. The different molecular forms of pancreastatin were secreted from the perfused organs in the same molar ratio as they occur in extracts of the corresponding tissues. Thus, pancreastatin and other chromogranin A-derived peptides in organ-specific proportions regularly accompany the secretion of the peptide hormones from the gastrointestinal tissues on appropriate stimulation.

Secretion of pancreastatins from isolated, perfused, porcine adrenal glands

Pancreastatin is a 49 amino acid peptide with a C-terminal glycine amide originally isolated from porcine pancreas. There are strong indications that pancreastatin is derived from chromogranin A, since the amino acid sequence 240-288 in porcine chromogranin A contains pancreastatin flanked by typical signals for proteolytic processing. Several molecular forms of immunoreactive pancreastatin have been reported to be present in porcine adrenal medulla, but no information on the secretion of the peptides is available. We studied stimuli for the release of immunoreactive pancreastatin from adrenal glands as well as the molecular nature of the released immunoreactivity using isolated, perfused, porcine adrenal glands with intact splanchnic nerve supply and a radioimmunoassay specific for the C-terminal glycine amide of porcine pancreastatin in combination with chromatography. Stimulation of the splanchnic nerves greatly enhanced the release of immunoreactive pancreastatin by a mechanism that seems to involve cholinergic nicotinic transmission. The pancreastatin immunoreactivity was due to large amounts of a N-terminally extended pancreastatin form, possibly corresponding to the chromogranin A(1-288) fragment and small amounts of pancreastatin and a C-terminal pancreastatin fragment. Adrenal extracts also contained unprocessed chromogranin A. We conclude that in the porcine adrenals at least 25% of chromogranin A is processed to smaller molecular forms with the pancreastatin sequence forming their C-terminus. These forms appear to be released in parallel with the catecholamines.

Enterochromaffin-like cells in the rat stomach: effect of alpha-fluoromethylhistidine-evoked histamine depletion. A chemical, histochemical and electron-microscopic study

In the rat, gastric histamine is stored predominantly in the enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells, which are located basally in the oxyntic mucosa. The functional significance of histamine in the ECL cells is a matter of speculation. In this study the effect of depletion of histamine on the properties and ultrastructure of the ECL cells was examined. Histamine synthesis was inhibited with alpha-fluoromethylhistidine (3 mg.kg-1.h-1) given via osmotic minipumps over a period of 24 h. The treatment reduced the histidine decarboxylase activity (approximately 20% remaining) and histamine concentration (less than 20% remaining) in the oxyntic mucosa, as well as the intensity of histamine- and chromogranin A-immunostaining in the ECL cells, compared to control rats. The cytoplasmic (secretory) granules/vesicles were greatly reduced in number and size following alpha-fluoromethylhistidine administration. The histamine immunostaining of the mast cells, which occurs at the mucosal surface and in the submucosa, appeared unaffected. We conclude that ECL cell histamine accounts for at least 80% of the total oxyntic mucosal histamine in the rat and that it represents a more mobile pool than mast cell histamine. The reduction in the number and size of the ECL cell granules/vesicles following histamine depletion is in accord with the idea that they represent the storage site for histamine.

Localization of calcitonin gene-related peptide and islet amyloid polypeptide in the rat and mouse pancreas

It was previously demonstrated that the two chemically related peptides calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) both occur in the pancreas. We have now examined the cellular localization of CGRP and IAPP in the rat and the mouse pancreas. We found, in both the rat and the mouse pancreas, CGRP-immunoreactive nerve fibers throughout the parenchyma, including the islets, with particular association with blood vessels. CGRP-immunoreactive nerve fibers were regularly seen within the islets. In contrast, no IAPP-immunoreactive nerve fibers were demonstrated in this location. Furthermore, in rat islets, CGRP immunoreactivity was demonstrated in peripherally located cells, constituting a major subpopulation of the somatostatin cells. Such cells were lacking in the mouse islets. IAPP-like immunoreactivity was demonstrated in rat and mouse islet insulin cells, and, in the rat, also in a few non-insulin cells in the islet periphery. These cells seemed to be identical with somatostatin/CGRP-immunoreactive elements. In summary, the study shows (1) that CGRP, but not IAPP, is a pancreatic neuropeptide both in the mouse and the rat; (2) that a subpopulation of rat somatostatin cells contain CGRP; (3) that mouse islet endocrine cells do not contain CGRP; (4) that insulin cells in both the rat and the mouse contain IAPP; and (5) that in the rat, a non-insulin cell population apparently composed of somatostatin cells stores immunoreactive IAPP. We conclude that CGRP is a pancreatic neuropeptide and IAPP is an islet endocrine peptide in both the rat and the mouse, whereas CGRP is an islet endocrine peptide in the rat.