Distribution of vasoactive intestinal peptide-sensitive adenylate cyclase activity along the nephron

The effect of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) on adenylate cyclase activity in individual segments of the rabbit nephron was examined. VIP caused a significant increase in adenylate cyclase activity in the distal convoluted tubule and in the cortical and medullary portions of the collecting tubule. VIP also caused a concentration-dependent increase in adenylate cyclase activity in rat and dog collecting tubules. The results demonstrate that VIP has a direct stimulatory effect on tubular adenylate cyclase which may be involved in the increase in electrolyte excretion observed with VIP.