Vasoactive intestinal peptide and intraocular pressure: adenylate cyclase activation and binding sites for vasoactive intestinal peptide in membranes of ocular ciliary processes.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-responsive adenylate cyclase and VIP binding sites were investigated in membranes prepared from ciliary processes dissected from albino rabbit eyes. High-affinity binding sites for VIP (Kd, 0.95 nM; 607 fmol/mg of protein), in addition to beta adrenergic sites labeled by dihydroalprenolol (Kd, 0.48 nM; 123 fmol/mg of protein), were present. Activation of adenylate cyclase by VIP had a Ka of 65 nM, and the maximal response was 3.3-fold greater than that for I-isoproterenol (Ka, 102 nM). A peptide fragment of VIP (sequence 10-28) was inactive in all assays and did not inhibit VIP-stimulated adenylate cyclase at 10 microM. Responses to VIP and isoproterenol in combination were additive at lower doses but less than additive at maximal doses. Responses to VIP in combination with a low dose of forskolin (0.1 microM) were potentiated at all dose levels, whether assays were done in presence of MgCl2 or MnCl2. VIP- and forskolin-activated adenylate cyclase was associated with the nonpigmented epithelial cell fraction and not with pigmented epithelial cells separated on Percoll density gradients after dissociation of cells from processes by collagenase digestion. Intravitreous injection of 10 nmol of VIP into the rabbit eye caused a maximal reduction in intraocular pressure at 40 to 50 hr lasting beyond 72 hr. VIP-responsive and beta adrenergic-responsive adenylate cyclase are present on the same cell type (nonpigmented epithelial cells) and appear to share components of the adenylate cyclase system in the same membrane. VIP may participate in the physiologic regulation of aqueous humor secretion at the level of the epithelial cell membrane.