VIP

Literature References: Neuroactive polypeptide gastrointestinal hormone, related to glucagon and secretin, q.q.v. It exhibits a wide variety of biological activities, including relaxation of systemic and vascular smooth muscle and stimulation of the exocrine pancreas, of secretion of insulin and of cyclic-AMP formation in the small intestine. Initially isolated from porcine upper intestinal wall: S. I. Said, V. Mutt, Science 169, 1217 (1970); eidem, Eur. J. Biochem. 28, 199 (1972). Porcine VIP is a 28-residue peptide having an N-terminal seryl sequence: M. Bodanszky et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 70, 382 (1973); V. Mutt, S. I. Said, Eur. J. Biochem. 42, 581 (1974). Synthesis: M. Bodanszky et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 96, 4973 (1974); see also S. I. Said et al., US 3862927 (1975). Solid-phase synthesis: D. H. Coy, J. Gardner, Int. J. Pept. Protein Res. 15, 73 (1980); R. Colombo, Experientia 38, 773 (1982). Isoln of chicken VIP: A. Nilsson, FEBS Lett. 47, 284 (1974). Amino acid sequence: idem, ibid. 60, 322 (1975). Synthesis of C-terminal fragment: M. Bodanszky et al., Bioorg. Chem. 5, 339 (1976). Solid-phase synthesis: R. Colombo, Int. J. Pept. Protein Res. 19, 71 (1982). Multiple immunoreactive forms of VIP have also been found in human colonic mucosa: R. Dimaline, G. J. Dockray, Gastroenterology 75, 387 (1978). The presence of a common form of VIP in brain and gastrointestinal tract has been demonstrated by radioimmunoassay and radioreceptor assay: J. Besson et al., Acta Endocrinol. 87, 799 (1978). Although the precise effect of VIP on neuronal function is not completely known, it is believed to play an important role in neurotransmission, cf. M. G. Bryant et al., Lancet 1, 991 (1976); Y. Matsuzaki et al., Science 210, 1252 (1980). Review of possible functions as a neural peptide: S. I. Said et al., Adv. Biochem. Psychopharmacol. 22, 75-82 (1980). Book: Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide, S. I. Said, Ed. (Raven Press, New York, 1982) 528 pp.