Pharmacology and molecular identification of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) receptors in normal and cancerous gastric mucosa in man

Mapping and quantifying neuropeptides in the enteric nervous system

Neuropeptides are a highly diverse group of signaling molecules found in the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral organs, including the enteric nervous system (ENS). Increasing efforts have been focused on dissecting the role of neuropeptides in both neural- and non-neural-related diseases, as well as their potential therapeutic value. In parallel, accurate knowledge on their source of production and pleiotropic functions is still needed to fully understand their implications in biological processes. This review will focus on the analytical challenges involved in studying neuropeptides, particularly in the ENS, a tissue where their abundance is low, together with opportunities for further technical development.

Differential changes in Substance P, VIP as well as neprilysin levels in patients with gastritis or ulcer

The protective effect of capsaicin-sensitive sensory nerve (CSSN) activation was recently demonstrated in human gastric mucosa. We here examined changes in neuropeptides, specifically Substance P (SP), calcitonin-gene related peptide (CGRP) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in patients with chronic gastritis or ulcer. Furthermore changes in neprilysin levels, which hydrolyse these neuropeptides, were determined. Gastric biopsies were obtained from both lesion- and normal-appearing mucosa of 57 patients. The presence of H. pylori infection was verified with rapid urease assay. Neuronal and non-neuronal levels of SP, VIP, CGRP and neprilysin activity were determined in freshly frozen biopsies. Immunohistochemical localization of neprilysin was performed in 30 paraffin embedded specimens. We here found that neuronal SP levels decreased significantly in normally appearing mucosa of patients with gastritis while levels of non-neuronal SP increased in diseased areas of gastritis and ulcer. The presence of H. pylori led to further decreases of SP levels. The content of VIP in both disease-involved and uninvolved mucosa, and expression of neprilysin, markedly decreased in patients with gastritis or ulcer. Since VIP, as well as SP fragments, formed following hydrolysis with neprilysin is recognized to have gastroprotective effects, decreased levels of VIP, SP and neprilysin may predispose to cellular damage.

Physical activity and natural anti-VIP antibodies: potential role in breast and prostate cancer therapy

Background

There is convincing evidence from numerous clinical and epidemiological studies that physical activity can reduce the risk for breast and prostate cancer. The biological mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain elusive. Herein we suggest a role for naturally produced antibodies reactive with the vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in the suppression of breast and prostate cancer, which we believe could offer a possible molecular mechanism underlying control of these cancers by physical exercise.

Methodology and Results

We found that sera from individuals having breast and prostate cancers have decreased titers of VIP natural antibodies as demonstrated by a lower reactivity against peptide NTM1, having similar informational and structural properties as VIP. In contrast, sera collected from elite athletes, exhibited titers of natural NTM1-reactive antibodies that are significantly increased, suggesting that physical activity boosts production of these antibodies.

Significance

Presented results suggest that physical exercise stimulates production of natural anti-VIP antibodies and likely results in suppression of VIP. This, in turn, may play a protective role against breast and prostate cancers. Physical exercise should be further investigated as a potential tool in the treatment of these diseases.

Stimulation of the adenylyl cyclase activity in human endometrial membranes by VIP and related peptides

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) has been shown to stimulate adenylyl cyclase activity in human endometrial membranes. The effect was dependent on the time and temperature of incubation as well as on the concentration of endometrial membrane proteins in the medium. In the presence of 1 microM GTP, half-maximal stimulation of adenylyl cyclase activity was observed at 25.0 +/- 7.0 nM VIP, whereas the maximal activity (at 1 microM VIP) corresponded to an increase of about 140% with respect to basal values (7.5 +/- 0.6 pmol cyclic AMP/min/mg of protein). However, the maximal stimulation of adenylyl cyclase activity was obtained with helodermin (1 microM) that increased the activity by 170% over the basal. The relative potency of VIP-related peptides upon the adenylyl cyclase activity was: helodermin (ED50 = 1.8 +/- 1.4 nM) > VIP (ED50 = 25.0 +/- 7.0 nM) > PHI (ED50 = 725.0 +/- 127.2 nM). Secretin had a faint effect upon the adenylyl cyclase activity and glucagon was completely inefficient at this level. The presence of alpha s and alpha i subunits of G proteins in human endometrium was detected by immunoblot. Preliminary results showed the presence of two classes of 125I-VIP receptors in human endometrial membranes with the following stoichoimetric parameters: high affinity receptor (Kd = 2.0 nM, binding capacity 0.1 pmol VIP/mg protein) and low affinity receptor (Kd = 0.43 microM, binding capacity 13.1 pmol VIP/mg protein). The present results together with the known presence of VIP in human uterus and the actions of this neuropeptide in the adjacent myometrial tissue support the idea that VIP and related peptides may have a role in human endometrium.

Functional expression of VIP receptors in normal, immortalized and transformed mammary epithelial cells

The effect of VIP and its related peptides on cAMP production has been characterized: 1) in long term culture of normal human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC); 2) in immortalized and transformed ST cell lines established from normal HMEC after genomic insertion of the large T oncogene of SV40; 3) in the spontaneously immortalized HC-11 cells, a clone isolated from the mouse mammary epithelial cells COMMA-1D, described to exhibit normal morphogenesis in vivo and functional differentiation in vitro. Basal cAMP levels were increased 1.5- to 8.7-fold in mammary epithelial cells (p less than 0.001-0.05), with a potency EC50 = 0.02-0.6 nM VIP. The pharmacological specificity of the VIP receptors coupled to cAMP generation was established according to the following potency sequence: VIP greater than PACAP-38 greater than helodermin greater than PHM, PHV greater than helospectin 1 much greater than hpGRF, secretin in HMEC, VIP greater than PACAP-38 greater than helodermin greater than helospectin 1, PHM, PHV greater than hpGRF greater than secretin in S1T3 cells, and VIP, PHI, helodermin greater than PHV greater than rhGRF greater than secretin in HC-11 cells. Our data demonstrate the presence of functional, highly sensitive and specific VIP receptors in normal, immortalized and transformed mammary epithelial cells, suggesting a regulatory role for this neuropeptide on the growth, differentiation and function in normal and neoplastic breast tissue.

Adenylyl cyclase stimulation by VIP in rat seminal vesicle membranes

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity in membranes from rat seminal vesicle. GTP potentiated the stimulatory effect of VIP so that it was routinely included at 10 microM. The stimulation of adenylyl cyclase by VIP was time and temperature dependent. The response was linear with time up to 15 min at 30 degrees C. Half-maximal adenylyl cyclase activation (in the presence of 10 microM GTP) was achieved at 3.0 nM VIP. The enzyme activity increased about 150% with respect to basal values at the maximal VIP concentration tested (1 microM). The relative potency of peptides upon stimulation of adenylyl cyclase activity was: VIP greater than helodermin greater than peptide histidine isoleucinamide greater than rat growth hormone-releasing factor. Other agents like GTP (0.1 mM), GppNHp (0.1 mM), forskolin (0.1 mM) and sodium fluoride (10 mM) increased the adenylyl cyclase activity 1.8-, 4.4-, 6.7- and 2.4-fold, respectively. Taken together, the presence of VIP in nerve terminals innervating the seminal vesicle of rats and the existence of VIP receptors coupled to adenylyl cyclase strongly suggest a physiological role for this neuropeptide in the modulation of seminal vesicle cell function.

Modulatory effects of VIP and related peptides from the gastrointestinal tract on cell mediated cytotoxicity against tumour cells in vitro

In the present study the effect of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), peptide histidine-methionine (PHM), and secretin on spontaneous cell mediated cytotoxicity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells against tumour target cells was evaluated. VIP stimulated cytotoxicity against CaCo-2 human colon cancer cells, whereas less effect was seen against K-562 erythroleukemia cells. Depletion of CD16+ natural killer cells almost completely abolished cytotoxicity and subsequent VIP incubation did not change residual activity. In contrast to PHM, which hardly influenced cytotoxicity, secretin was found to be more effective especially against K-562 target cells. These observations suggest a modulating role for the neuropeptide VIP in the cellular immune response against tumour cells, especially from the colon, resulting in increased activity of CD16+ natural killer cells. Secretin, seems to be less potent in modulating cellular cytotoxicity. These findings support the concept that gastrointestinal peptides can play a role in the regulation of cellular cytotoxicity against tumor cells.

Functional and structural characterization of the secretin receptors in rat gastric glands: desensitization and glycoprotein nature

We have documented and characterized the down-regulation of the 125I-secretin binding sites and the associated desensitization of the secretin receptor-cAMP system in rat gastric glands. Secretin induced a rapid decrease of the high-affinity 125I-secretin binding sites with t1/2 = 30 min at 37 degrees C. Half-maximal down-regulation and desensitization occurred at 10(-9) M secretin, a physiological concentration corresponding to the half-maximal activation of the secretin receptor. The Scatchard parameters of the low-affinity 125I-secretin binding sites were unaffected by the pretreatment. This desensitization is heterologous in view of the loss of responsiveness to the truncated glucagon-like peptide 1 (TGLP-1), and pharmacologically selective since the secretin-related analogue VIP (10(-7) M) does not alter the secretin-induced cAMP generation in rat gastric glands. The glycoprotein nature of the secretin receptor has also been demonstrated using WGA-agarose affinity chromatography of the solubilized 125I-secretin receptor complex.

Characterization of vasoactive intestinal peptide receptors in rat seminal vesicle

Receptors for vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in membranes from rat seminal vesicle were examined using 125I-labeled VIP as ligand. The receptor binding was rapid, reversible, saturable, specific, and dependent on temperature and membrane concentration. At 15 degrees C, the stoichiometric data suggested the presence of two classes of VIP receptors with Kd values of 0.54 and 44.4 nM and binding capacities of 73 and 1,065 fmol VIP/mg membrane protein, respectively. The interaction showed a high degree of specificity, as suggested by competition experiments with various peptides structurally related to VIP as follows: helodermin was 10 times, secretin 30 times, and rat growth hormone-releasing factor 300 times less potent than VIP, whereas glucagon did not recognize VIP receptors in concentrations of up to 10 microM. The binding of 125I-VIP to membranes was sensitive to the presence of GTP in the incubation medium in a dose-dependent manner. To characterize the molecular weight of these VIP receptors, 125I-VIP was covalently bound to membranes from rat seminal vesicle using dithiobis(succinimidyl propionate); sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the solubilized receptor revealed the presence of a specific component with a molecular mass of 47,000 Da as estimated in denaturing conditions. These findings, together with the known presence of VIP-containing nerves in the seminal vesicle, suggest a direct physiological role for this peptide in this accessory gland of the male genital tract.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide stimulates melatonin release from perifused pineal glands of rats

The rat pineal gland is known to release melatonin in response to noradrenergic stimulation. The effect of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), one of the neuropeptides present in the pineal, was examined on perifused rat pineal glands. VIP stimulated melatonin release with a dose-dependent effect above 10(-7) M. In regard of kinetic characteristics, the pattern of melatonin release after VIP stimulation was similar to that after isoproterenol stimulation. 10(-6) M VIP-stimulated melatonin release was not altered when the pineal glands were treated with 10(-5) M propranolol (a beta-adrenergic antagonist) or 10(-5) M prazosin (an alpha 1-adrenergic antagonist). Thus VIP has a noradrenergic-independent effect on melatonin secretion. Conversely, this VIP effect is greatly inhibited by the specific action of a VIPergic antagonist. This suggests that VIP acts on melatonin synthesis through its own binding sites. This study demonstrates that melatonin secretion from rat pineal glands may be elicited through a VIPergic system which is independent of the well-known noradrenergic system.

Pharmacological control of the human gastric histamine H2 receptor by famotidine: comparison with H1, H2 and H3 receptor agonists and antagonists

Histamine 0.1 microM-0.1 mM increased adenylate cyclase activity five- to ten-fold in human fundic membranes, with a potency Ka = 3 microM. The histamine dose-response curve was mimicked by the H3 receptor agonist (R) alpha-MeHA, but at 100 times lower potency, Ka = 0.3 mM. Histamine-induced adenylate cyclase activation was abolished by H2, H1 and H3 receptor antagonists, according to the following order of potency IC50: famotidine (0.3 microM) greater than triprolidine (0.1 mM) thioperamide (2 mM), respectively. Famotidine has no action on membrane components activating the adenylate cyclase system, including the Gs subunit of the enzyme stimulated by forskolin and cell surface receptors sensitive to isoproterenol (beta 2-type), PGE2 and VIP. The Schild plot was linear for famotidine (P less than 0.01) with a regression coefficient r = 0.678. The slope of the regression line was 0.64 and differs from unity. Accordingly, famotidine showed a slow onset of inhibition and dissociation from the H2 receptor in human cancerous HGT-1 cells. The results demonstrate that famotidine is a potent and selective H2 receptor antagonist with uncompetitive actions in human gastric mucosa. Consequently, famotidine might be a suitable drug with long-lasting actions in the treatment of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. The results also confirm and extend the previous observations that (R) alpha-MeHA and thioperamide are two selective ligands at histamine H3 receptor sites. In the human gastric mucosa, these drugs are respectively 330 and 6700 times less potent than histamine and famotidine on the adenylate cyclase system. The possible involvement of histamine H3 receptors in the regulation of gastric secretion is proposed.

Membrane receptors in the gastrointestinal tract

This review focusses on the roles that membrane receptors and their transducers play in the physiology and pathology of the gastrointestinal tract. The multifactorial regulation of [correction] mucosal growth and function is discussed in relation to the heterogeneity of exocrine and endocrine populations that originate from progenitor cells in stomach and intestine.