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. 1984 Jun;82(2):321–328. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1984.tb10766.x

Relaxation of cat tracheobronchial and pulmonary arterial smooth muscle by vasoactive intestinal peptide: lack of influence by peptidase inhibitors.

R J Altiere, L Diamond
PMCID: PMC1987047  PMID: 6145470

Abstract

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) caused concentration-dependent relaxation in precontracted segments of trachea, hilar bronchus, intrapulmonary bronchus and intrapulmonary artery (IPA) isolated from cat lungs. VIP-induced relaxation responses were abolished by preincubation of tissues with the proteolytic enzyme, alpha-chymotrypsin (2 units ml-1). At the concentration employed, alpha-chymotrypsin treatment did not adversely affect tissue viability as isoprenaline and bethanechol continued to relax airways and IPA, respectively. Aprotinin prevented enzymatic degradation of VIP by alpha-chymotrypsin as demonstrated by the ability of VIP to relax tissues incubated with both the peptidase inhibitor and alpha-chymotrypsin. A spectrum of peptidase inhibitors, including aprotinin, leupeptin, bestatin, bacitracin, beta-phenylpropionic acid and captopril, individually or in combination, did not augment the relaxant effects of VIP in isolated pulmonary tissues. These results suggest that local enzymatic degradation may not be a primary route for inactivation of VIP in cat isolated airways and IPA. If VIP acts as a neurotransmitter in these tissues, a mechanism other than enzymatic proteolysis may be responsible for terminating its action.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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