Characterization of Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase‐Activating Polypeptide 38 (PACAP38)‐, PACAP27‐, and Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide‐Stimulated Responses in N1E‐115 Neuroblastoma Cells

Abstract: In this study, the effects of three related peptides, pituitary adenylate cyclase‐activating polypeptide 38 (PACAP38), PACAP27, and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), on cyclic AMP (cAMP) accumulation and intracellular Ca 2+ concentration ([Ca 2+ ] i ) were compared in N1E‐115 cells. PACAP38 and PACAP27 stimulated cAMP accumulation up to 60‐fold with EC 50 values of 0.54 and 0.067 n M , respectively. The effect of VIP on cAMP accumulation was less potent. The binding of 125 I‐PACAP27 to intact cells was inhibited by PACAP38 and PACAP27 (IC 50 values of 0.44 and 0.55 n M , respectively) but not by VIP. In fura‐2‐loaded cells, both PACAP38 and PACAP27 increased [Ca 2+ ] i with EC 50 values around 10 n M . The interactions of these three peptides with ionomycin, a Ca 2+ ionophore, and 4β‐phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate (PMA), an activator of protein kinase C, were also determined. Ionomycin increased the cAMP accumulation caused by all three peptides. With low concentrations of PACAP38 or PACAP27, the effect of PMA was inhibitory, whereas at higher concentrations of PACAP (>1 n M ), the effect of PMA was stimulatory. Similar to other agents that elevate cAMP, PACAP38 was an effective stimulator of neurite outgrowth. These results show that (a) PACAP27 and PACAP38 stimulate cAMP accumulation and increase [Ca 2+ ] i through the type I PACAP receptors in N1E‐115 cells, (b) ionomycin enhances cAMP accumulation by all three peptides, and (c) activation of protein kinase C has a dose‐dependent stimulatory or inhibitory effect on the PACAP38‐ or PACAP27‐stimulated cAMP accumulation.