VIP
MIM.192320 6q26-q27
Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), a 28-amino acid peptide originally isolated from porcine duodenum, is present not only in gastrointestinal tissues but also in neural tissues, possibly as a neurotransmitter, and exhibits a wide variety of biologic actions.
Because VIP shows similarities to glucagon, secretin and gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP), it has been considered a member of the glucagon-secretin family. The primary translation product of the mRNA encoding VIP (prepro-VIP) has a molecular mass of 20 Da.
Regulatory T cells (Tregs)
Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is an anti-inflammatory neuropeptide with therapeutic potential in various immune disorders. It participates in maintaining immune tolerance by a novel mechanism of inducing the generation of Treg cells.
The identification of regulatory T (Treg) cells as important regulators of self-tolerance has opened up new therapeutic avenues for the treatment of several human diseases associated with Treg dysfunction, including autoimmune diseases and transplantation.
References
Gonzalez-Rey E, Delgado M. Vasoactive intestinal peptide and regulatory T-cell induction: a new mechanism and therapeutic potential for immune homeostasis. Trends Mol Med. 2007 Jun;13(6):241-51. PMID: 17467339