Anatomical distribution of vasoactive intestinal peptide binding sites in peripheral tissues investigated by in vitro autoradiography

Exercise-induced biochemical changes and their potential influence on cancer: a scientific review

AIM

To review and discuss the available international literature regarding the indirect and direct biochemical mechanisms that occur after exercise, which could positively, or negatively, influence oncogenic pathways.

METHODS

The PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane libraries were searched for papers up to July 2016 addressing biochemical changes after exercise with a particular reference to cancer. The three authors independently assessed their appropriateness for inclusion in this review based on their scientific quality and relevance.

RESULTS

168 papers were selected and categorised into indirect and direct biochemical pathways. The indirect effects included changes in vitamin D, weight reduction, sunlight exposure and improved mood. The direct effects included insulin-like growth factor, epigenetic effects on gene expression and DNA repair, vasoactive intestinal peptide, oxidative stress and antioxidant pathways, heat shock proteins, testosterone, irisin, immunity, chronic inflammation and prostaglandins, energy metabolism and insulin resistance.

SUMMARY

Exercise is one of several lifestyle factors known to lower the risk of developing cancer and is associated with lower relapse rates and better survival. This review highlights the numerous biochemical processes, which explain these potential anticancer benefits.

Characterization of intestinal and pancreatic dysfunction in VPAC1-null mutant mouse

OBJECTIVES

These studies examined the effect of homozygous deletion of vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor type 1 (VPAC1) on development and function of intestines and pancreas.

METHODS

Genetically engineered VPAC1-null mutant mice were monitored for growth, development, and glucose homeostasis. Expression of VPAC1 was examined during embryonic development using VPAC1 promoter-driven β-galactosidase transgenic mice.

RESULTS

Homozygous deletion of VPAC1 resulted in fetal, neonatal, and postweaning death owing to failure to thrive, intestinal obstruction, and hypoglycemia. Histological findings demonstrated disorganized hyperproliferation of intestinal epithelial cells with mucus deposition and bowel wall thickening. The pancreas demonstrated small dysmorphic islets of Langerhans containing α, β, and δ cells. Expression of a VPAC1 promoter-driven transgene was observed in E12.5 and E14.5 intestinal epithelial and pancreatic endocrine cells. Vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor type 1-null mutant animals had lower baseline blood glucose levels compared to both heterozygous and wild-type littermates. Vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor type 1-deficient mice responded to oral glucose challenge with normal rise in blood glucose followed by rapid hypoglycemia and failure to restore baseline glucose levels. Insulin challenge resulted in profound hypoglycemia and inadequate glucose homeostasis in VPAC1-null mutant animals.

CONCLUSIONS

These observations support a role for VPAC1 during embryonic and neonatal development of intestines and endocrine pancreas.

VPAC and PAC receptors: From ligands to function

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and the pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptides (PACAPs) share 68% identity at the amino acid level and belong to the secretin peptide family. Following the initial discovery of VIP almost four decades ago a substantial amount of knowledge has been presented describing the mechanisms of action, distribution and pleiotropic functions of these related peptides. It is now known that the physiological actions of these widely distributed peptides are produced through activation of three common G-protein coupled receptors (VPAC(1), VPAC(2) and PAC(1)R) which preferentially stimulate adenylate cyclase and increase intracellular cAMP, although stimulation of other intracellular messengers, including calcium and phospholipase D, has been reported. Using a range of in vitro and in vivo approaches, including cell-based functional assays, transgenic animals and rodent models of disease, VPAC/PAC receptor activation has been associated with numerous physiological processes (e.g. control of circadian rhythms) and clinical conditions (e.g. pulmonary hypertension), which underlies on-going research efforts and makes these peptides and their cognate receptors attractive targets for the pharmaceutical industry. However, despite the considerable interest in VPAC/PAC receptors and the processes which they mediate, there is still a paucity of selective and available, non-peptide ligands, which has hindered further advances in this field both at the basic research and clinical level. This review summarises the current knowledge of VIP/PACAP and the VPAC/PAC receptors with regard to their distribution, pharmacology, signalling pathways, splice variants and finally, the utility of animal models in exploring their physiological roles.

Developmental changes in binding sites and reactivity for CGRP and VIP in porcine pulmonary arteries

During postnatal adaptation pulmonary arteries dilate. CGRP and VIP are pulmonary vasodilators. In this report, porcine lungs from newborn to adult were studied. Radiolabeled ligand binding and autoradiography showed CGRP binding sites on the endothelium of pulmonary arteries and veins, which increased postnatally, and VIP binding sites on smooth muscle, which decreased. Isolated conduit arteries relaxed normally (initially endothelium dependent) in response to CGRP from birth. VIP first caused relaxation at 10 days and was endothelium dependent. Age-related changes in receptor binding density were not always reflected in an appropriate alteration in pharmacological response.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide in the hamster seminal vesicle: distribution, binding sites and possible functions

The presence and functional role of vasoactive intestinal peptide in the hamster seminal vesicle were studied by a combination of structural and functional approaches. The use of an immunofluorescence staining technique in both cryostat sections and whole-mount preparations revealed that vasoactive intestinal peptide-immunoreactive nerve fibres were mainly localized in the lamina propria of the mucosal layer. In double-stained preparations, vasoactive intestinal peptide immunoreactivity was found to be localized in nerves also containing acetylcholinesterase activity. At the ultrastructural level, the use of an immunogold staining method showed that vasoactive intestinal peptide immunoreactivity occurred in large granular vesicles (80-150 nm in diameter) in nerve varicosities which also contained small pleomorphic agranular vesicles. In order to evaluate the anatomical distribution of vasoactive intestinal peptide binding sites in the seminal vesicle, we have utilized an in vitro receptor autoradiographic technique. Vasoactive intestinal peptide binding sites were localized in the basal region of the secretory epithelium, in the muscle layer and in the wall of blood vessels. In vitro incorporation of [3H]L-leucine into protein by tissue slices revealed that vasoactive intestinal peptide (1 microM) significantly increases the amount of released protein. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (0.1-1 microM) did not affect the resting tension of the muscle but significantly inhibited the increase in muscle tension induced by carbachol. Atropine prevented the effect of carbachol, indicating that the latter is mediated by muscarinic receptors. Our results suggest that in the hamster seminal vesicle, vasoactive intestinal peptide is involved in the modulation of muscarinic function and in the control of secretion.

Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide induces neurogenic contraction of guinea-pig ileum. Involvement of acetylcholine and substance P

The effect and mode of action of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), a peptidergic neuromodulator in the gastrointestinal nervous system, were investigated in isolated muscle strips of the guinea-pig ileum. VIP induced concentration-dependent (20 nM-1 microM) contractions of longitudinal ileal strips. TTX (1 microM), a mixture of atropine (3 microM) and spantide (30 microM), a mixture of atropine (3 microM) and omega-conotoxin GVIA (100 nM), somatostatin (60 nM) and dynorphin (100 nM) abolished the effect of VIP. In most cases a small relaxation became evident. Desensitization to substance P in the presence of atropine prevented VIP-induced contraction. A partial inhibition was observed in the presence of atropine (3 microM), spantide (30 microM), omega-conotoxin GVIA (100 nM), beta-endorphin (265 nM), met-enkephalin (1100 nM) and a mixture of spantide (30 microM) and omega-conotoxin GVIA (100 nM). The action of VIP was not significantly modified by guanethidine (3 microM) or hexamethonium (150 microM). In circular ileal strips VIP (10-300 nM) caused concentration-dependent relaxations through a direct myogenic effect. These results indicate that the VIP produced contractions of the guinea-pig ileum are exclusively neurally mediated and involve a cholinergic as well as a noncholinergic-nonadrenergic (NANC) pathway. It is concluded that besides acetylcholine (Ach) VIP releases the peptidergic transmitter substance P from postganglionic nerve fibers of myenteric plexus. Opioid peptides and somatostatin modulate the activity of cholinergic and peptidegic nerves in the guinea-pig ileum. The release of substance P appears to depend completely on N-type voltage sensitive calcium channels.

Modulation of human natural killer activity by vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) family. VIP, glucagon and GHRF specifically inhibit NK activity

Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) is a neuropeptide, which also modulates some immune functions. Natural killer (NK) cell activity was already found to be diminished by VIP. In the present paper we report that VIP is able to decrease NK cell activity of human large granular lymphocytes (LGL), showing maximal inhibition at doses ranging from 10(-8) to 10(-6) M. Some neuropeptides, belonging to the VIP family (secretin, glucagon, peptide histidine isoleucine, PHI and human growth hormone releasing factor, GHRF), were also tested. Among these peptides, secretin and PHI were shown to be uneffective on NK cell activity whereas glucagon and GHRF were inhibitory. The D50 of GHRF was similar to that of VIP (10(-9) M), the D50 of glucagon was 10(-8) M. A recently synthesized VIP-antagonist (4Cl-D-Phe6-Leu17) was then used to assess its ability to reverse the VIP-mediated inhibition of NK activity. The antagonist was able to completely reverse the inhibitory effect of VIP on NK activity. The VIP-antagonist was also able to reverse the inhibitory effect of glucagon and GHRF, even though to a lesser extent than for VIP. Our data provide a new physiological observation regarding the functional activity of LGL, supporting the presence of a receptor for VIP on human LGL with NK activity.

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.

Epithelial cells purified from choroid plexus have receptors for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide

Using the choroid plexus from pig a method has been developed to purify the epithelial cells from the underlying vascularized connective tissue stroma. An epithelial cell fraction was obtained that showed a purity of at least 95%, as determined by light microscopic analysis. The epithelial cells were investigated for the presence of binding sites for the neurotransmitter peptide, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). Suspensions of epithelial cells were found to have high affinity binding sites for 125I-labelled VIP, with maximum binding obtained after 30 min incubation at 20 degrees C with a concentration of 50 micrograms cell protein per sample. Competition experiments with displacement of [125I]VIP binding by increasing concentrations of unlabeled VIP indicated the presence of a single class of binding sites with a Kd of 3 nM and a binding capacity of 970 pmol/g cell protein. Cross-linking of [125I]VIP to epithelial cells with disuccinimido dithiobis (propionate) (DSP), followed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, demonstrated binding to a single 55 kD protein. The receptor was highly specific for VIP as binding was only inhibited in the presence of high concentrations of the related peptides helodermin, growth hormone-releasing factor, secretin, and peptide histidine isoleucine. This is the first demonstration of VIP-binding to choroid plexus epithelial cells.

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.

Simultaneous immunohistochemical demonstration of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and its receptor in human colon

The present study reports an immunohistochemical approach for localizing the immunoreactivity of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) receptor in the human colon, by using a monoclonal antibody which recognizes the VIP-receptor of a human colonic adenocarcinoma cell line. Simultaneous demonstration of immunoreactive VIP-receptor of a human colonic adenocarcinoma cell line. Simultaneous demonstration of immunoreactive VIP-receptor and VIP was achieved by a double-labelling procedure employing immunogold silver staining for VIP-receptor, and a biotinylated secondary antibody followed by streptavidin-Texas Red, to visualize VIP. The immunoreactive VIP receptor was found at two locations receiving dense VIP innervation: myenteric ganglia and mucosal epithelium. Epithelial cells displayed intense labelling at the basolateral membrane, which confirmed earlier binding studies on fractionated membranes. A small number of enteroendocrine cells was also recognized by the VIP-receptor antibody. Smooth muscle and cells of the immune system were not stained by the monoclonal antibody, indicating that it recognized an epitope not common to VIP-receptors of all locations. Thus, the immunohistochemical approach of VIP-receptor localization differs from autoradiography in (a) precise cellular localization, (b) possibility of simultaneous demonstration of receptor and ligand immunoreactivity, and (c) selectivity to a certain receptor population which, however, is presently not fully characterized.

Gut endocrine and neural peptides

The once exponential growth in the number of new gut endocrine peptides being discovered has become slightly slower in recent years, and expansion of the field of gut hormones has involved mainly the application of new investigative methods. Some new peptides have been described and major inroads have been made into establishing the ontogeny of gut endocrine cells, the origins and pathways of the enteric innervation, and the involvement of the diffuse neuroendocrine system as a whole in disease states. Further insight is being gained into the functional activity of the peptide cell system by studying the control, sites and rates of peptide gene expression, and the localization and characterization of peptide binding sites on target cells.