Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Preface by HIROSHI OKAMOTO
- Introductory overview by HIROSHI OKAMOTO
- I The molecular biology of peptide hormones in the islets of Langerhans
- 1 The organization and structure of insulin genes
- 2 The regulation of insulin gene expression
- 3 The translational control of proinsulin synthesis by glucose
- 4 The structure and regulation of the glucagon gene
- 5 The structure and regulation of the somatostatin gene
- 6 The mosaic evolution of the pancreatic polypeptide gene
- 7 The structure and expression of genes of vasoactive intestinal peptide and related peptides
- 8 Pancreastatin: a novel pancreatic hormone
- 9 The processing of peptide precursors
- II Molecular aspects of diabetes mellitus
- Index
7 - The structure and expression of genes of vasoactive intestinal peptide and related peptides
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 December 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Preface by HIROSHI OKAMOTO
- Introductory overview by HIROSHI OKAMOTO
- I The molecular biology of peptide hormones in the islets of Langerhans
- 1 The organization and structure of insulin genes
- 2 The regulation of insulin gene expression
- 3 The translational control of proinsulin synthesis by glucose
- 4 The structure and regulation of the glucagon gene
- 5 The structure and regulation of the somatostatin gene
- 6 The mosaic evolution of the pancreatic polypeptide gene
- 7 The structure and expression of genes of vasoactive intestinal peptide and related peptides
- 8 Pancreastatin: a novel pancreatic hormone
- 9 The processing of peptide precursors
- II Molecular aspects of diabetes mellitus
- Index
Summary
Introduction
Said & Mutt (1972) first isolated a vasodilator peptide of 28 amino acids from porcine duodenum and designated it vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). Thereafter, VIP was found to be present not only in the duodenum but also in a variety of tissues, including central and peripheral nervous systems, small and large intestines, pancreas, lung and urogenital tract, functioning mainly as a neurotransmitter or neuromodulator (Håkanson et al, 1982; Hökfelt et al, 1982; Marley & Emson, 1982; Fahrenkrug, 1982). Islets of Langerhans are innervated by peptidergic as well as cholinergic and adrenergic nerve fibers: the peptidergic nerve fibers contain VIP immunoreactivity (Miller, 1981) and VIP has been shown to stimulate glucagon and insulin secretion from islets (Schebalin et al, 1976). VIPomas, VIP-producing tumors, often arise in the islets of Langerhans, and many patients with VIPomas associated with the watery diarrhea, hypokalemia and achlorhydria (WDHA) syndrome have been reported (Verner & Morrison, 1958; Bloom et al, 1973; Mekhjian & O'Dorisio, 1987).
In 1983, Itoh et al first characterized the mRNA coding for human VIP precursor (Itoh et al, 1983). The entire amino acid sequence of the precursor, deduced from the nucleotide sequence, indicated that the precursor protein contains not only VIP but also a novel PHI-like peptide of 27 amino acids, PHM-27. This article reviews the current knowledge of the structure and expression of the VIP/PHM-27 gene. In particular, it focusses on the organization of the VIP/PHM-27 gene and on the transcriptional regulation by cAMP and phorbol esters of VIP/PHM-27 gene expression.
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- Molecular Biology of the Islets of Langerhans , pp. 125 - 144Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1990
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