Study summary · research use only
Expression of vasoactive intestinal peptide in lymphocytes: a possible endogenous role in the regulation of the immune system
Plain-language summary
Paraphrased from the published abstract below — not a verdict on whether anything works.
This review presents experimental evidence that vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) acts as an immunoregulatory peptide, with the species not specified. The abstract reports that cells of the immune system can produce VIP: immunoreactivity was detected in lymphocytes by immunohistochemistry in central and peripheral lymphoid organs, and both T and B lymphocytes were found to contain VIP, mostly VIP 1-28, as shown by high-performance liquid chromatography and radioimmunoassay. VIP was also demonstrated by in situ hybridization and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and was induced in splenic lymphocytes after mitogenic stimulation. VIP receptor expression was detected in lymphocyte populations. The authors describe VIP as an endogenous autocrine modulator of immune function.
Abstract
Experimental evidence is accumulating showing that vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) acts as an immunoregulatory peptide. Findings from our laboratory and others indicate that cells of the immune system are able to produce VIP. We have detected immunoreactivity for VIP in lymphocytes by immunohistochemical methods at specific locations of both central and peripheral lymphoid organs. Double immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry analysis indicate that both T and B lymphocytes contain VIP that has been proved to be mostly VIP 1-28 by high-performance liquid chromatography and radioimmunoassay. VIP has been also demonstrated by 'in situ' hybridization and reverse transcription followed by polymerase chain reaction. We have also detected induction of VIP in splenic lymphocytes after mitogenic stimulation. Lymphocytes should be sensitive to the endogenously produced VIP because we have also detected VIP receptor expression in different populations of lymphocytes. All this evidence indicates that VIP is an endogenous autocrine modulator of immune function.
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