Abstract
We have previously shown that VIP, a potent stimulator of water and electrolytes secretion in human intestine, acts through its binding to specific receptors and the stimulation of cyclic AMP production in epithelial cells. We report here the occurence in epithelial cells of human stomach and gallbladder of receptors for VIP that are similar for the followings: 1) two classes of binding sites, a small number with high affinity (Kd = 1.3 × 10-9M) and a large number with low affinity (Kd = 1.6 × 10-8M); 2) positive non linear coupling with a cyclic AMP producing system; 3) effectiveness of VIP at low physiological doses (3 × 10-12M - 10-8M). Secretin does not exhibit any specific receptor in these epithelia and stimulates cyclic AMP production only at suprapharmacological doses (10-7-10-5M) through its binding to the VIP receptor. The presence of a VIP receptor together with the absence of a specific secretin receptor in stomach and gallbladder epithelia is a character specific of human. Indeed, we show that rat gastric epithelium exhibits a cyclic AMP system sensitive specifically to secretin and not to VIP and that guinea pig gallbladder epithelium exhibits both a VIP- and a secretin-sensitive cyclic AMP system. Conclusion. Peptide receptors have been characterized in epithelial cells isolated from digestive organs. Their species specificity emphasizes the importance of experiments carried out in human.
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Dupont, C., Gespach, C., Laburthe, M. et al. Prevalence of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in the regulation of cyclic AMP production in digestive epithelia: a specific feature of human. Pediatr Res 15, 82 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198101000-00064
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198101000-00064