Vasoactive intestinal peptide in bovine pulmonary artery: localisation, function and receptor autoradiography

1 The role of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in the control of pulmonary vascular tone was investigated by functional response, immunocytochemical localisation and receptor autoradiography in bovine pulmonary arteries. 2 VIP‐immunoreactive nerve fibres were present at the adventitial‐medial junction and in the media of the vessels. 3 Exposure of precontracted bovine pulmonary artery segments to VIP in vitro resulted in almost complete (86 ± 3%; mean ± s.e.mean) relaxation, the concentration needed for 50% relaxation being 4.47 ± 0.37 × 10−9 M. VIP effects did not depend on the presence of intact endothelial cells. 4 The distribution of VIP receptors was studied by autoradiography using [125I]‐VIP. A high density of VIP receptors was found in arterial vascular smooth muscle, with a gradient of density from adventitia to luminal surface. There were no receptors on endothelial cells. 5 These data show that VIP is a potent vasodilator of bovine pulmonary arteries, via direct activation of VIP receptors in vascular smooth muscle. VIP‐immunoreactive nerves may influence pulmonary vascular tone directly and could, therefore, be important in regulating pulmonary blood flow.