Distribution of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and its binding sites in labial salivary glands in Sjögren's syndrome and in normal controls.
OBJECTIVE
Tissue distribution of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-containing nerves and their target cells were studied in labial salivary glands in patients with Sjögren's syndrome and in healthy controls.


METHODS
Immunoperoxidase staining was used to demonstrate VIP-containing nerve fibers, and receptor autoradiography with 125I-Bolton Hunter (BH)-VIP was used to demonstrate VIP positive binding sites.


RESULTS
VIP-containing nerves were seen around salivary acini, salivary ducts, blood vessels and deep parenchyma, but were absent from large inflammatory cell foci in patients with Sjögren's syndrome. Receptor autoradiography with 125I-BH-VIP disclosed VIP binding sites on mucous acinar cells and blood vessels, whereas salivary ducts contained no VIP receptors. VIP binding sites were also absent from the centers of large inflammatory cell foci/acinar atrophy.


CONCLUSIONS
The topology of VIP and its receptor suggests that VIP may act on the vascular and secretory components of the salivary gland. However, VIP causes only a slight increase in non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic salivary secretion. It is therefore more likely that this extensive tissue distribution of VIP and its receptors reflects its recently suggested trophic effects on salivary gland tissue. This is further supported by the observation that VIP-IR nerves/VIP binding sites were absent in areas of focal lymphocytoid infiltrates/acinar atrophy in patients with Sjögren's syndrome.
Törnwall
J
J
Department of Anatomy, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Uusitalo
H
H
Hukkanen
M
M
Sorsa
T
T
Konttinen
Y T
YT
D000328:Adult; D001345:Autoradiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018005:Receptors, Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000196:embryology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism
D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D018005:Receptors, Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide