Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 30, 2026

Adaptation of Microelectrode Array Technology for the Study of Anesthesia-induced Neurotoxicity in the Intact Piglet Brain
Published on: May 12, 2018
Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide and vasoactive intestinal peptide attenuate glutamate-induced nNOS
Satomi Onoue1, Kosuke Endo, Takehiko Yajima
1Health Science Division, Itoham Foods Inc., Ibaraki 302-0104, Moriya, Japan.
Abstract:
Both vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) act as neurotransmitters in the central and peripheral nervous systems. Attention has been focused on these neuropeptides because among their numerous biological activities, they have been confirmed to show neuroprotective effects against ischemia and glutamate-induced cytotoxicity. It is well established that glutamate has excitatory effects on neuronal cells, and that excessive glutamate shows potent neurotoxicity, especially in neuronal nitric oxide synthase-containing neurons. Glutamate stimulates the production of nitric oxide (NO) in neurons, and the NO generated is tightly associated with the delayed death of neurons. We examined the effects of these neuropeptides on the glutamate-induced neural actions using PC12 cells, and we confirmed the important activities of PACAP/VIP on the production of NO as well as the delayed cell death stimulated by glutamate.
Related Concept Videos
Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism
GPCRs Regulate Adenylyl Cylase Activity
Two...
Nitric Oxide Signaling Pathway