VASOACTIVE-INTESTINAL-PEPTIDE - ROLE OF CALMODULIN AND CATALYTIC ANTIBODIES

In the accompanying article Paul and Ebadi [1993 (Neurochem Int. 23, 1 97 214)] review recent observations that the neuropeptide vasoactive i ntestinal peptide (VIP) and the related peptide growth hormone releasi ng factor (GRF) bind to two novel protein molecules unrelated to their G-protein coupled receptors. VIP and GRF have been reported to bind w ith high affinity to calmodulin, leading to modulation of biological a ctivities of the regulatory protein. VIP has also been reported to bin d to autoantibodies isolated from both normal and asthmatic subjects. Several of these autoantibodies have been found to catalyze the hydrol ysis of the native VIP molecule. The biological consequences of the bi nding of VIP and GRF to these macromolecular ''receptors'' are conside red.