GENE-EXPRESSION AND TRANSCRIPT SIZE OF THE PREPRO-PEPTIDE VIP PHM-27 IN NORMAL HUMAN TISSUE/

The transcript size of VIP/PHM-27 mRNA (vasoactive intestinal peptide/ peptide histidine methionine) and the relative distribution of VIP/PHM -27 gene expression in 10 normal human tissues was examined. After mRN A extraction from tissue, VIP/PHM-27 transcript size and relative abun dance of mRNA was determined by Northern blot analysis and densitometr y of the autoradiograms. VIP/PHM-27 mRNA was detectable in brain, panc reas, colon, ileum and striated muscle while no hybridization signal w as observed in liver, kidney, lung, heart, prostate and placental tiss ue. VIP/PHM-27 transcript in human brain and gut was a single band of 1.7 kb; by contrast, a 7.0-kb transcript was detected in striated skel etal muscle. The highest relative levels of mRNA were observed in brai n and pancreas.