Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide In Patients Research Articles

Vasoactive intestinal peptide degradation might influence Interleukin-17 expression in cardiac chagasic patients.

ABSTRACTThe vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) expression is lower in cardiac chagasic patients and is related to worse cardiac function. The reduction of VIP in patients with Chagas disease may be a result of its enhanced degradation. To test this hypothesis, the tryptase and chymase expression was evaluated. We also related VIP levels with interleukin-17 (IL-17) expression since VIP may modulate IL-17 production. Plasma levels of chymase were higher in chagasic patients. Conversely, VIP/chymase and VIP/tryptase ratios were lower in chagasic patients when compared to non-infected individuals. Besides, the VIP/chymase ratio was lower in chagasic cardiac patients in comparison with the indeterminate group. A positive correlation between tryptase and chymase levels was observed in chagasic cardiac patients. In relation to IL-17, we observed a higher expression of this cytokine in the cardiac form of the disease than in the indeterminate form. IL-17/VIP ratio was higher in the cardiac form in comparison with non-infected or indeterminate form. These results suggest that the low levels of VIP observed in chagasic patients could be due to an increased production of chymase and/or to the additive effect of the interaction between chymase and tryptase in the cardiac form. Moreover, the decreased VIP expression may contribute to the increase of IL-17 in chagasic cardiac patients.

A17270 He neuroendocrine peculiarities of essential arterial hypertension development

Objectives: To investigate the potential role of neuropeptide Y (NPY) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in the pathogenesis of essential arterial hypertension (EAH). Methods: 25 patients with I-III stages of EAH and 14 practically healthy volunteers aged from 22 to 70 years were examined. The content of VIP and NPY in the blood plasma was determined by immuno-enzymatic methods using the Bachem Peninsula Laboratories, Inc. sets. Results: We found a significant initial decrease in the levels of NPY in the plasma of all the examined patients with EAH. Depending on stage of the disease, it was shown that as EAH progressed, the plasma NPY level decreased from 1,532 ± 0,386 ng/ml to 1,054 ± 0,148 ng/ml. Level of activity of NPY was found to be inversely proportional to the degree of BP increase. Consequently, a decrease in the level of NPY stipulates higher figures of BP in patients with EAH, contributing to the further progression of the disease. However, the activity of this neuropeptide in plasma of patients with stage II was comparable to that of healthy volunteers and was 0,843 ± 0,191 ng/ml, which was significantly higher than in patients with stage III (0,404 ± 0,043 ng/ml). That is, in the course of hypertension, compensatory normalization of VIP activity was observed at the stage of development of lesions of target organs, with the depletion of which irreversible disturbances of their function develop. The content of VIP in patients with “moderate” arterial hypertension (0,393 ± 0,057 ng/ml) was significantly lower than in healthy volunteers. Conclusion: We detected a dynamic decrease in the activity of NPY and VIP in patients with EAH which indicates the involvement of these regulatory peptides in the development of arterial hypertension.

Comparative effect of electroacupuncture and moxibustion on the expression of substance P and vasoactive intestinal peptide in patients with irritable bowel syndrome

ObjectiveTo compare the impacts of electroacupuncture (EA) and moxibustion (Mox) on the primary gastrointestinal symptoms and the expressions of colonic mucosa-associated neuropeptide substance P (SP) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in patients with either diarrhea-predominant or constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D and IBS-C, respectively). MethodsEighty-five IBS patients were randomly allocated to the EA and Mox groups. Zusanli (ST 36) and Shangjuxu (ST 37) were selected as acupoints for electroacupuncture or warm moxibustion treatment once a day for 14 consecutive days. Before and after the treatment sessions, a Visual Analog Pain Scale and the Bristol Stool Form Scale were used to evaluate gastrointestinal symptoms. There were four dropout cases, leaving 81 participants (41 with IBS-D and 40 with IBS-C) who volunteered to undergo colonoscopy before and after the treatment sessions. During colonoscopy, sigmoid mucosa were collected to detect SP and VIP expression using immunohistochemistry assay. ResultsBoth EA and Mox treatments were effective at relieving abdominal pain in IBS-D and IBS-C patients. However, Mox was more effective at reducing diarrhea in IBS-D patients, whereas EA was more effective at improving constipation in IBS-C patients. EA and Mox treatments both down-regulated the abnormally increased SP and VIP expression in the colonic mucosa, with no significant difference shown between the two treatments. ConclusionBoth EA and Mox treatments are effective at ameliorating gastrointestinal symptoms by reducing SP and VIP expression in the colonic mucosa of IBS patients.

Plasma Neuropeptides and Perception of Pruritus in Psoriasis

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of selected neuropeptides on itching in psoriatic individuals. Fifty-nine patients (43 pruritic and 16 non-pruritic) with psoriasis were included in the study. The severity of psoriasis, measured using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index scale, ranged between 2 and 43.7 points. The intensity of pruritus was evaluated using a Visual Analogue Scale. The plasma levels of substance P, vasoactive intestinal peptide, calcitonin gene-related peptide and neuropeptide Y were measured radioimmunologically. The plasma level of neuropeptide Y was significantly decreased in patients with pruritus compared with those without pruritus (21.6 +/- 39.6 pg/ml and 144.3 +/- 385.7 pg/ml, respectively; p=0.03). Levels of other neuropeptides did not differ significantly between pruritic and non-pruritic patients; however, a tendency to lower plasma levels of substance P and vasoactive intestinal peptide in patients with itching was noted. Moreover, a significant negative correlation was observed between pruritus severity and levels of substance P (r = -0.36; p=0.02), as well as between pruritus severity and plasma levels of vasoactive intestinal peptide (r = -0.34; p=0.03). The imbalance of neuropeptide activity in the sera of pruritic subjects may suggest a role for neuropeptides in perception of itching in psoriatic individuals.

Serum nitrates and vasoactive intestinal peptide in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease

Background: The normal esophageal motility is a balance between excitatory cholinergic “muscarinic” innervations and noncholinergic nonadrenergic inhibitory innervations. The latter is mediated by nitric oxide (NO) and/or vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). Methods: The study included 50 patients with gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), and 10 healthy controls of matched age and sex. Patients were divided into five groups according to the degree of lower end esophagitis (Savary-Miller classification). Serum VIP was measured using enzyme immunoassay after peptide purification. Serum nitrate as an index of nitric oxide generation was determined biochemically. Results: Serum nitrate and VIP levels were significantly higher in GERD patients than the control group ( p < 0.001). Grade 0 serum nitrates was significantly higher than the control group ( p < 0.05) with some overlap between the individual values of the two groups. Serum VIP was significantly higher in grade 0 group compared to control group ( p < 0.001) with no overlap in the individual values. There was a significant positive correlation between the grade of lower end esophagitis and each of serum nitrate and VIP ( p < 0.001), as well as between serum nitrate and each of serum VIP, cigarette smoking index (CSI) and BMI ( p < 0.001). Conclusion: Abnormally high levels of serum VIP and NO may have a role in the pathogenesis of GERD. Exposure of esophageal mucosa to noxious effect of acid refluxed due to the relaxant effect of VIP on lower esophageal sphincter may cause increased NO levels. BMI and CSI are risk factors for GERD progression.

Evidence for neural regulation of inflammatory synovial cell functions by secreting calcitonin gene-related peptide and vasoactive intestinal peptide in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

To elucidate the possible involvement of the nervous system in the regulation of pathophysiologic responses in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), we examined the expression of peripheral nerves containing the neuropeptides calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in RA synovium and their effects on RA synovial cell functions. The effects of CGRP and VIP on proinflammatory cytokine and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) production by RA synovial cells were estimated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and their messenger RNA (mRNA) expression by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using limiting dilutions of the complementary DNA. Expression of CGRP receptors (CGRPRs) and VIP receptors (VIPRs) on RA synovial cells was assessed by RT-PCR and radioreceptor assays. The functions of CGRPRs and VIPRs of the synovial cells were studied by using a CGRPR antagonist and a VIPR antagonist, respectively. CGRP and VIP inhibited the proliferation of, and the proinflammatory cytokine and MMP production by, RA synovial cells at the level of mRNA expression. Expression of CGRPR and VIPR on RA fibroblast-like synovial cells was confirmed by RT-PCR and radioreceptor assays. Functions of the neuropeptide receptors were inhibited by their receptor antagonists. CGRP and VIP inhibited nuclear translocation and phosphorylation of the transcription factor cAMP response element binding protein in RA synovial cells. CGRP and VIP inhibited excessive synovial cell functions, which suggests neural regulation of inflammatory responses in patients with RA and possible clinical application of the neuropeptides.