Philippe De Neef

Development of High Affinity Selective VIP1 Receptor Agonists

The biological effects of VIP are mediated by at least two VIP receptors: the VIP1 and the VIP2 receptors that were cloned in rat, human and mice. As the mRNA coding for each receptor are located in different tissues, it is likely that each receptor modulates different functions. It is therefore of interest to obtain selective agonists for each receptor subtype. In the present work, we achieved the synthesis of two VIP1 receptor selective agonsits derived from secretin and GRF. [R16]chicken secretin had IC50 values of binding of 1,10,000, 20, and 3000 nM for the rat VIP1-, VIP2-, secretion- and PACAP receptors, respectively. This peptide, however, had a weaker affinity for the human VIP1 receptor (IC50 of 60 nM). The chimeric, substituted peptide [K15, R16, L27]VIP(1-7)/GRF(8-27) had IC50 values of binding of 1,10,000, 10,000 and 30,000 nM for the rat VIP1-, VIP2-, secretin- and PACAP receptors, respectively. Furthermore, its also showed an IC50 of 0.8 nM for the human VIP1 receptor and a low affinity for the human VIP2 receptor. It is unlikely that this GRF analogue interacted with a high affinity to the pituitary GRF receptors as it did not stimulate rat pituitary adenylate cyclase activity. The two described analogues stimulated maximally the adenylate cyclase activity on membranes expressing each receptor subtype.

In Vitro Properties of a High Affinity Selective Antagonist of the VIP1 Receptor

A selective high affinity VIP1 receptor antagonist [Acetyl-His1, D-Phe2, Lys15, Arg16, Leu17] VIP(3-7)/GRF(8-27) or PG 97-269 was synthesized, by analogy with recently obtained selective VIP1 receptor agonists. The properties of the new peptide were evaluated on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell membranes expressing either the rat VIP1-, rat VIP2- or the human VIP2-recombinant receptors and on LoVo cell membranes expressing exclusively the human VIP1 receptor. The IC50 values of 125I-VIP binding inhibition by PG 97-269 were 10, 2000, 2 and 3000 nM on the rat VIP1-, rat VIP2-, human VIP1- and human VIP2 receptors, respectively. PG 97-269 had a negligible affinity for the PACAP I receptor type. It did not stimulate adenylate cyclase activity, but inhibited competitively effect of VIP on the VIP1 receptor mediated stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity. The Ki values were respectively of 15 +/- 5 nM and 2 +/- 1 nM for the rat and human VIP1 receptors. Thus the described molecule in the first reported VIP antagonist with an affinity in the nM range and with a high selectivity for the VIP1 receptor subclass. It may be useful for evaluation of the physiological role of VIP in rat and human tissues.

The long-acting vasoactive intestinal polypeptide agonist RO 25-1553 is highly selective of the VIP2 receptor subclass

RO 25-1553 is a synthetic VIP analogue that induced a long-lasting relaxation of tracheal and bronchial smooth muscles as well as a reduction of edema and eosinophilic mobilization during pulmonary anaphylaxis. In the present study, we tested in vitro the capacity of RO 25-1553 to occupy the different VIP/PACAP receptor subclasses and to stimulate adenylate cyclase activity. The cellular models tested expressed one single receptor subtype: Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transfected with the rat recombinant PACAP I, rat VIP1, and human VIP2 receptors; SUP T1 cells expressing the human VIP2 and HCT 15 and LoVo cells expressing the human VIP1 receptor. RO 25-1553 was threefold more potent than VIP on the human VIP2 receptor, 100- and 600-fold less potent than VIP on the rat and human VIP1 receptors, respectively, and 10-fold less potent than VIP and 3000-fold less potent than PACAP on the PACAP I receptor. RO 25-1553 was a full agonist on the VIP2, the PACAP I, and the rat recombinant VIP1 receptor but a partial agonist only on the human VIP1 receptor. Thus, RO 25-1553 is a highly selective agonist ligand for the VIP2 receptor subclass.

Presence of highly selective receptors for PACAP (pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide) in membranes from the rat pancreatic acinar cell line AR 4-2J

We characterized highly selective receptors for PACAP, the pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide, in the tumoral acinar cell line AR 4‐2J derived from the rat pancreas. PACAP, a novel hypothalamic peptide related to vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), was tested as the full natural 38‐residue peptide (PACAP‐38) and as an N‐terminal amidated 27‐residue derivative (PACAP‐27). The binding sites showed considerable affinity for [125I]PACAP‐27 (K d =0.4 nM) and PACAP‐38, while their affiity for VIP and the parent peptide helodemin was 1000‐fold lower. These receptors were coupled to adenylate cyclase, the potency of PACAP‐38 and PACAP‐27 (K act = 0.2 nM) being much higher than that of VIP (K act= 100 nM) and helodemin (K act = 30 nM). Chemical cross‐linking of [125I]PACAP‐27 followed by SDS‐PAGE and autoradiography revealed a specifically cross‐linked peptide with an M r, of 68000 (including 3000 for one PACAP‐27 molecule).

The novel VIP-like hypothalamic polypeptide PACAP interacts with high affinity receptors in the human neuroblastoma cell line NB-OK

We investigated the ability of two forms of Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase Activating Polypeptide [PACAP-38, the 38 amino acid peptide isolated from ovine hypothalamus, and PACAP-27, a shorter N-terminal (1-27) amidated version] to interact with specific receptors in membranes from the human neuroblastoma cell line NB-OK. [125I]PACAP-27 bound rapidly and specifically to one class of high affinity sites (Kd 0.5 nM). VIP inhibited [125I]PACAP-27 binding 300- to 1000-fold less potently than PACAP-27 and PACAP-38. One microM PHI prevented tracer binding only partially and secretin, glucagon and GRF(1-29)NH2 were ineffective in this respect. PACAP-27 and PACAP-38 stimulated adenylate cyclase activity dose dependently and with similar efficacy (Kact 0.2-0.3 nM), this activation being compatible with the occupancy of specific high affinity PACAP receptor. VIP was markedly less potent and less efficient on this enzyme than PACAP. Chemical cross-linking of [125I]PACAP-27 followed by SDS-PAGE and autoradiography revealed specific cross-linking with a 68 kDa protein.

Properties and distribution of receptors for pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide (PACAP) in rat brain and spinal cord

A high density (in the pmol/mg protein range) of specific functional receptors for PACAP (pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide) was observed in membranes from rat brain cortex, olfactory bulb, hypothalamus, hippocampus, striatum, cerebellum, pons and cervico-dorsal spinal cord, using [125I]PACAP-27 (PACAP 1-27). The tracer bound rapidly, specifically and reversibly. Competition binding curves were compatible with the coexistence, in the eight central nervous areas explored, of high and low affinity binding sites for PACAP-27 (Kd of 0.2 nM and 3.0 nM, respectively), and of only one class of binding sites for PACAP-38 (PACAP (1-38), Kd 0.2-0.9 nM). VIP inhibited only partially the binding of [125I]PACAP-27, and PHI, GRF(1-29)NH2 and secretin were ineffective at 1 microM. Chemical [125I]PACAP-27 cross-linking revealed a single specific 64 kDa protein species. In rat brain cortical membranes, saturation and competition experiments, using [125I]PACAP-38 as radioligand, indicated the presence of both high (Kd 0.13 nM) and low (Kd 8-10 nM) affinity binding sites for PACAP-38 and of low affinity (Kd 30 nM) binding sites for PACAP-27. These data taken collectively suggest the coexistence of PACAP-A receptors with a slight preference for PACAP-27 over PACAP-38 and of PACAP-B receptors that recognize PACAP-38 with a high affinity and PACAP-27 with low affinity. Both PACAP-27 and PACAP-38 stimulated adenylate cyclase with similar potency and efficacy. VIP was markedly less potent in this respect and also less efficient, except on cerebellar membranes.

The C-terminus ends of secretin and VIP interact with the N-terminal domains of their receptors

C-terminally truncated secretin and VIP molecules were synthesized, and their ability to occupy the recombinant secretin and VIP1 receptors stably expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and to stimulate adenylate cyclase activity was studied. On secretin receptors, secretin (1-26) and secretin (1-24) were 10- and 50-fold less potent but as efficient as secretin (1-27); VIP (1-27) was as potent and efficient as VIP (1-28), and VIP (1-26) and VIP (1-25) were both 100-fold less potent. On VIP1 receptor, VIP (1-28) and VIP (1-27) were equipotent and VIP (1-26) and VIP (1-25) were 10- and 300-fold less potent, respectively; secretin (1-27) and secretin (1-26) were of equally low affinity and 10-fold more potent than secretin (1-24). Thus, the secretin and the VIP1 receptors had different selectivity profiles for the recognition of C-terminally truncated secretin and VIP derivatives. The chimeric receptors consisting in the N-terminal part of the secretin receptor on the core of the VIP1 receptor (N-Sn/VIP1.r) and in the N-terminal part of the VIP1 receptor on the core of the secretin receptor (N-VIP1/Sn.r) exhibited the selectivity pattern of the secretin and VIP1 receptors, respectively. The results suggest that the C-terminal end of secretin and VIP interacts with the N-terminal domain of the secretin and VIP receptors.

Fragments of pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide discriminate between type I and II recombinant receptors

Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) analogues were tested for their ability to occupy the recombinant selective PACAP receptors (PACAP type I receptor) or the non-selective PACAP-vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) receptors (PACAP type II, VIP1 and VIP2 receptors) stably transfected and expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. The synthetic analogues consisted of N- and/or C-terminally shortened peptides. Thus, peptides starting at amino acid 1, 2, 3 or 6 and terminating at amino acid 27, 29, 30, 32 or 38 were compared on the three receptors studied. The shortening of PACAP-(1-38) to PACAP-(1-27) was of little influence. However, in N-terminally deleted peptides the PACAP-38 derivatives were of higher affinity than the PACAP-27 fragments on PACAP type I and PACAP type II, VIP2 receptors but not on PACAP type II, VIP1 receptors. The presence of the sequence 28-32 was in all cases sufficient to reproduce the data obtained with the PACAP-38 analogues. PACAP-(3-32) is able to discriminate the PACAP type II, VIP2 subtype from the other two subtypes, and PACAP-(6-30), PACAP-(6-32) and PACAP-(6-38) can discriminate the PACAP type II, VIP1 receptors from the other two subtypes. These molecules may help in the quantitative detection of receptor subclasses in complex systems when two or more receptor subtypes are found.

In Vitro Interactions Of Gastrointestinal Hormones On Cyclic Adenosine 3':5'-Monophosphate Levels and Amylase Output in the Rat Pancreas

Four-fold increases in cyclic AMP levels were observed 5 to 10 min after rat pancreatic fragments were incubated with 10-7 M secretin or 10-6 M vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), in addition to 10 mM theophylline. From dose-response curves it appears that, on a molar basis, the potency of secretin was 20 times higher than that of VIP. It is concluded that cyclic AMP is probably the intracellular messenger of both secretin and VIP in centroacinar cells. Pancreozymin, caerulein, and the C-terminal octapeptide of pancreozymin inhibited the production of cyclic AMP observed with secretin of VIP, suggesting that the first three peptides were acting at a binding site different from the agonists, but coupled with the same adenylate cyclase. In acinar cells, secretin was able to exert slight ecbolic effects, and was also able to potentiate the effect of maximal concentrations of pancreozymin, caerulein, or the C-terminal octapeptide of pancreozymin. There was no simple correlation between amylase output and cyclic AMP levels, and copious amylase secretion was elicited even at control levels of cyclic AMP. Glucagon was neither an agonist nor an antagonist of any of the other polypeptides tested.

Effects of PHI on vasoactive intestinal peptide receptors and adenylate cyclase activity in lung membranes. A comparison in man, rat, mouse and guinea pig

The presence of receptors, recognized by vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) as well as by PHI (a peptide with N-terminal histidine and C-terminal isoleucine amide), was documented in lung membranes from rat, mouse, guinea pig and man by the ability of these receptors, once occupied, to stimulate adenylate cyclase. In lung membranes from rat, mouse and guinea pig, the capacity of VIP, PHI and secretin to stimulate the enzyme and the potency of the same peptides to compete with 125I-VIP for binding to VIP receptors were similar, the affinity decreasing in the order: VIP greater than PHI greater than secretin. In addition, dose-effect curves were compatible with the coexistence of high-affinity and low-affinity VIP receptors, in the four animal species considered. If PHI was able to recognize all VIP receptors it could not, however, discriminate the subclasses of VIP receptors.