VIP (1-12) – Neuroscience Peptides

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is a neuropeptide found throughout the body and the central nervous system (CNS). VIP is located within cell bodies and nerve endings of the enteric nervous system, brain and pancreas. VIP neurons in the peripheral system fire to regulate blood vessels, and the CNS innervate cerebral vasculature. VIP binds to G protein-coupled receptors VPAC1 and VPAC2. VIP and VPAC2 are detected in circular smooth muscle cells of cerebral arterioles. VIP and VPAC1 are also found in lymphatic tissue. VIP can block inflammation, modify the Th response favouring Th2 and induce regulatory T cells. VIP has been recognised as an immunosuppressive neuropeptide and studied as a treatment for inflammatory conditions. Model administration of VIP and VIP (1-12) can reduce the severity of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). This suggests VIP and fragment (1-12) could lead to VIP-based therapies for inflammatory disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS). The VIP N-terminal (1-12) has also been used in mass spectrometry as a control and to generate a method for C-terminal sequence analysis by MALDI-TOF MS.