Interaction of PHM, PHI and 24-glutamine PHI with human VIP receptors from colonic epithelium: comparison with rat intestinal receptors

PHM, the human counterpart of porcine Peptide Histidine Isoleucine amide (PHI), is shown to be a VIP agonist with low potency on human VIP receptors located in colonic epithelial cell membranes. Its potency is identical to that of PHI but by 3 orders of magnitude lower than that of VIP itself in inhibiting 125I-VIP binding and in stimulating adenylate cyclase activity. This contrasts markedly with the behaviour of PHI on rat VIP receptors located in intestinal epithelial cell membranes where PHI is a potent agonist with a potency that is 1/5 that of VIP. In another connection, we show that 24-glutamine PHI has the same affinity as 24-glutamic acid PHI (the natural peptide) for rat or human VIP receptors. These results indicate that while PHI may exert some physiological function through its interaction with VIP receptors in rodents, its human counterpart PHM is a very poor agonist of VIP in human. Furthermore, they show that the drastic change in position 24 of PHI (neutral versus acid residue) does not affect the activity of PHI, at least on VIP receptors.     

Secretin, VIP, and PHI stimulate rat proximal duodenal surface epithelial bicarbonate secretion in vivo

The surface epithelial cells of the stomach and duodenum secrete bicarbonate at rest and in response to a number of agonists including the gastrointestinal hormones, glucagon, and GIP. Since those hormones with structural homology may have similar effects, the purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of graded doses (6, 24, and 96 nmol/kg) of pure porcine secretin, VIP, and PHI on bicarbonate secretion by the proximal duodenum containing Brunner's glands. Experiments were performed in vivo on unanesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats with chronic Thiry-Vella type loops of the proximal 2 cm of duodenum. The order of testing was random and only one hormone was tested on a single day. Compared to the saline control, each dose of VIP produced a significant increase in duodenal bicarbonate secretion in a dose-response manner. The two higher doses of secretin and only the 96 nmol/kg dose of PHI significantly increased bicarbonate output. The responses to 96 nmol/kg dose of secretin and VIP were similar, and each was significantly greater than observed with PHI. It is concluded that secretin and VIP stimulate proximal duodenal bicarbonate secretion and are more potent than PHI.     

Interaction of GRF with VIP receptors and stimulation of adenylate cyclase in rat and human intestinal epithelial membranes. Comparison with PHI and secretin

GRF (10(-8) - 10(-5) M) is shown to inhibit competitively the binding of [125I]VIP to human and rat intestinal epithelial membranes. The affinity of GRF for VIP receptor is 700-800-times lower than that of VIP in both species. The order of affinity of different peptides is VIP greater than PHI greater than secretin greater than GRF in rat, and VIP greater than GRF greater than PHI greater than secretin in man. The important species specificity of VIP receptors in recognizing PHI and secretin does not occur in the case of GRF. GRF stimulates adenylate cyclase through its interaction with VIP receptors in rat and human membranes. However, while GRF behaves as a VIP agonist in human tissue, it is a partial agonist/antagonist of VIP in the rat.     

Unconventional binding sites and receptors for VIP and related peptides PACAP and PHI/PHM: an update

The 28-amino-acid neuropeptide VIP and related peptides PACAP and PHI/PHM modulate virtually all of the vital functions in the body. These peptides are also commonly recognized as major regulators of cell growth and differentiation. Through their trophic and cytoprotective functions, they appear to play major roles in embryonic development, neurogenesis and the progression of a number of cancer types. These peptides bind to three well-characterized subtypes of G-protein coupled receptors: VPAC1 and VPAC2 share a common high affinity in the nanomolar range for VIP and PACAP; a third receptor type, PAC1, has been characterized for its high affinity for PACAP but its low affinity for VIP. Complex effects and pharmacological behaviors of these peptides suggest that multiple subtypes of binding sites may cooperate to mediate their function in target cells and tissues. In this complex response, some of these binding sites correspond to the definition of the conventional receptors cited above, while others display unexpected pharmacological and functional properties. Here we present potential clues that may lead investigators to further characterize the molecular nature and functions of these atypical binding species.     

Chronic atropine treatment causes increase in VIP receptors in rat cerebral cortex

Chronic atropine treatment (14 days, 20 mg X day-1 X kg-1 SC) caused a 75% increase in the number of VIP receptors in the rat cerebral cortex. The affinity of these receptors for 125I-VIP was not altered significantly by the atropine treatment. The same treatment led to a 20% decrease in VIP tissue levels. Muscarinic receptor number was also increased by 26%. The results indicate that interactions between VIP- and muscarinic receptors may be of importance in the rat cerebral cortex.     

Protein tyrosine phosphorylation in normal rat tissues

• 1.1. Exogenous and endogenous tyrosine protein phosphorylation activities were examined in soluble and partieulate fractions from various normal tissues by using poly-[Glu-⁸⁰Na, Tyr²⁰] and a monoclonal antibody specific for phosphotyrosine.
• 2.2. Phosphorylation of the exogenous substrate by the partieulate forms of TPKs was 2- to 10-fold higher than by soluble forms. The activities of partieulate and soluble enzymes decreased in the following order: spleen > (thymus = kidney) > testes ⩾ (pancreas = liver = brain) > heart.
• 3.3. The level of endogenous phosphorylation in the tissues decreased respectively in the following order: thymus > brain ⩾ (pancreas = liver) > spleen > testes > kidney > heart for the partieulate fractions, and spleen > thymus > brain > pancreas ⩾ liver > testes > kidney > heart for the soluble fractions.
• 4.4. A large number of phosphotyrosine-containing proteins were detected. In addition, several phosphotyrosine-containing proteins of similar molecular weight were found in different tissues and fractions.

     

Human growth hormone binds to lactogenic receptors in bovine, ovine and rat adrenals

The distribution of 125I radioactivity in the liver, kidneys, adrenals and serum of male rats was measured 10 minutes after an intravenous bolus of 125I-labelled human growth hormone (hGH) was administered in the presence or absence of a large excess of ovine growth hormone or ovine prolactin. The hGH binding sites in the adrenals had displacement properties characteristic of lactogenic receptors, whereas those in the liver had displacement properties characteristic of somatogenic receptors. Bovine and ovine adrenal microsomal membrane fractions contained high affinity (Ka = 1.4-3.3 nM-1) binding sites for hGH which showed ligand specificity typical of lactogenic receptors. It is concluded that the hGH binding site in the adrenal gland is a classical lactogenic receptor and that this tissue is a convenient and rich (42.6 +/- 6.4 fmol hGH specifically bound/mg protein) source of receptor suitable for further characterization.     

An Escherichia coli protein that preferentially binds to sharply curved DNA

We attempted to find Escherichia coli proteins which preferentially bind to a curved DNA sequence even in the presence of an excess amount of a non-curved DNA sequence as a competitor, mainly by means of a DNA-binding gel retardation assay. Since the two sequences used had nearly the same nucleotide compositions, including consecutive dA5 stretches, we reasoned that this strategy would allow us to identify proteins which preferentially recognize an overall DNA curvature. We purified such a protein from E. coli. Its preferential binding to the curved DNA was found to be inhibited by distamycin, which removes the curvature from appropriate DNA sequences. The purified protein was identified as the E. coli nucleoid protein, H-NS.     

Murine protein which binds preferentially to oligo-C-rich single-stranded nucleic acids.

Two single-stranded nucleic acid binding proteins mCBP and mCTBP were identified by means of their binding to a potential recombination hotspot in LTRs of mouse retro-transposons. Both are nuclear proteins of 35 and 55 kDa respectively. mCBP binds preferentially to oligo dC, mCTBP to oligo dCdT. mCBP was purified and its cDNA was isolated and sequenced.     

Heart receptors for VIP, PHI and secretin are able to activate adenylate cyclase and to mediate inotropic and chronotropic effects. Species variations and physiopathology

We have assessed the presence of VIP/PHI/secretin receptors in heart by: (1) testing the ability of the corresponding peptides to activate adenylate cyclase in cardiac membranes from rat, dog, Cynomolgus monkey and man, and (2) examining the ability of the same peptides to exert inotropic and chronotropic effects on heart preparations from rat and Cynomolgus monkey in vitro. Based on their affinity for natural peptides and synthetic analogs, two types of VIP/PHI/secretin receptors were characterized: the relatively nonspecific "secretin/VIP receptor" of rat heart (that is "secretin-preferring" only in that secretin was more efficient than VIP in stimulating adenylate cyclase), and the "VIP/PHI-preferring" receptor of man, monkey and dog heart. Four physiopathological situations affecting secretin/VIP receptors in rat heart were explored: In male rats from the Okamoto strain and the Lyon strain, two strains presenting spontaneous hypertension, heart membranes exhibited a markedly decreased response of adenylate cyclase to secretin/VIP, with lesser alterations in the responses to isoproterenol and glucagon. This impairment developed in parallel with the occurrence of hypertension and was reproduced in normotensive rats submitted to chronic isoproterenol treatment (but not in Goldblatt hypertensive rats). These findings are consistent with a hyperactivity of norepinephrine pathways in spontaneously hypertensive rats, leading to a reduced number of cardiac post-junctional secretin/VIP receptors bound to adenylate cyclase. Heart membranes from genetically obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats also exhibited severely decreased responses to secretin/VIP with lesser alterations in the responses to glucagon and isoproterenol. These anomalies were specific for the heart, and developed in concomitance with obesity. The first anomaly could not be corrected by severe food restriction. Secretin stimulation of heart adenylate cyclase was also selectively altered in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. Thus, two types of diabetic cardiomyopathy were characterized by a severe local alteration of secretin/VIP receptors coupled to adenylate cyclase. Hypothyroidism, provoked in rat by thyroidectomy or propylthiouracil treatment, again induced a marked decrease in secretin-stimulated cardiac adenylate cyclase activity. In rat papillary muscle electrically stimulated in vitro, secretin exerted a positive inotropic effect. This effect was reduced in obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats. In rat right atrium, secretin also exerted a positive chronotropic effects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

VIP and PHI in cat neurons: co-localization but variable tissue content possible due to differential processing

The concentrations of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and the peptide with NH2- terminal histidine and COOH-terminal isoleucine (PHI) in various peripheral tissues and some areas in the CNS of the cat were compared with their immunohistochemical localization. The VIP levels in the gastrointestinal tract were 3 to 6 times higher than PHI levels. Much (up to 10-fold) higher VIP than PHI levels were also observed in the genitourinary tract as well as in the lung and heart. In the neurohypophysis, however, the VIP/PHI ratio was close to 1. Gel-permeation chromatography revealed that VIP- and PHI-immunoreactivity (IR) in the intestine, pancreas and brain consisted of three larger molecular forms in addition to the 'standard' peptides. These larger forms which had overlapping elution positions may represent prepro-VIP/PHI forms. The immunohistochemical analysis revealed that VIP- and PHI-IR was present in the same ganglion cells in the intestine, pancreas, uterus and sympathetic ganglia. Furthermore, the terminal networks for these two peptides were very similar in the periphery. In the median eminence of the hypothalamus and in the posterior lobe of the pituitary, considerably more nerves were PHI- than VIP-IR. This observation was in parallel to a low VIP/PHI ratio. In conclusion, VIP and PHI seem to co-exist in most neuronal systems. Although the ratio of VIP and PHI on the precursor gene is 1:1, differences in posttranslational processing may create a considerably higher content of VIP than PHI in most terminal areas.     

D-Phe4]peptide histidine-isoleucinamide ([D-Phe4]PHI), a highly selective vasoactive-intestinal-peptide (VIP) agonist, discriminates VIP-preferring from secretin-preferring receptors in rat pancreatic membranes

The capacity of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), peptide histidine-isoleucinamide (PHI), secretin, and a series of analogs to discriminate between VIP-preferring and secretin-preferring receptors that coexist in rat pancreatic plasma membranes was evaluated by their ability to inhibit [125I]iodo-VIP and [125I]iodo-secretin binding and to activate adenylate cyclase. VIP, the VIP analogs [D-His1]VIP, [D-Ser2]VIP, [D-Asp3]VIP and [D-Ala4]VIP, PHI, [D-Phe4]PHI, and secretin inhibited the binding of both ligands in a concentration range of 10(-11) M to 10(-5) M and with a selectivity factor varying from 18,000 to 0.1. The only exception was [D-Phe4]PHI that inhibited 125I-VIP binding only, with an IC50 of 7 nM, and with no inhibition of 125I-secretin binding at 10 microM. The peptides tested stimulated adenylate cyclase in the same membranes and the slope of the dose-effect curves indicated that all peptides, except [D-Phe4]PHI, interacted with at least two classes of receptors: VIP-preferring and secretin-preferring receptors. By contrast, the dose-effect curve of [D-Phe4]PHI activation of adenylate cyclase was monophasic and competitively modified by [D-Phe2]VIP (a VIP antagonist) but not by secretin(7-27) (a secretin antagonist), indicating an interaction with VIP-preferring receptors only. Thus, [D-Phe4]PHI appears to be a highly selective tool to characterize these receptors.     

Effect of freezing on the coupling of VIP receptors to adenylate cyclase in rat liver membranes

In fresh rat liver plasma membranes, high affinity VIP receptors were specifically labelled with [125I] helodermin and were well coupled to adenylate cyclase while low affinity VIP receptors were not. After freezing and thawing low affinity VIP receptors were also coupled to adenylate cyclase. This modification of adenylate cyclase activation was specific for the VIP response as freezing and thawing did not modify Gpp (NH)p, NaF and glucagon stimulations.     

Organ distribution and characterization of porcine peptides (VIP, CGRP and PHI) that increase cAMP in rat platelets.

Using an assay for rat platelet cAMP, we investigated the organ distribution of peptides that increase cAMP in rat platelets in porcine tissues. Marked activity was observed in the duodenum, pancreas and brain. By analysis with reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), three major peaks of activity were observed in porcine tissues. The first peak was vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), and the second peak was calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). The third peak of activity was isolated from porcine duodenum. By analysis with a gas phase sequencer and with an amino acid analyzer, this peptide was identified as peptide histidine isoleucine (PHI). In a glucagon-secretin family of neuropeptides, pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) significantly increased platelet cAMP levels in a dose-dependent manner; however, glucagon did not. These results suggest that not only VIP and CGRP but also PHI and PACAP act upon platelets, as well as vascular tissues.