Premium
Neuropeptide variability in man
Author(s) -
Gracey N. Onuoha,
A. M. Nugent,
Steven Hunter,
E. K. Alpar,
D. J. McEneaney,
N. P. S. Campbell,
Christopher Shaw,
K.D. Buchanan,
D. P. Nicholls
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
european journal of clinical investigation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.164
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1365-2362
pISSN - 0014-2972
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2362.2000.00676.x
Subject(s) - calcitonin gene related peptide , medicine , vasoactive intestinal peptide , endocrinology , neuropeptide y receptor , atrial natriuretic peptide , neuropeptide , femoral artery , calcitonin , brachial artery , pulmonary artery , peptide hormone , heart failure , endothelin receptor , venous blood , blood pressure , hormone , receptor
Background Previous studies have established short‐term variability in the circulating plasma levels of cardiac peptides such as atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP). Our aim was to investigate whether such variable patterns could be observed in other vasoactive peptides. Methods We measured the immunoreactivity of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), neuropeptide Y (NPY), endothelin‐1 (ET‐1) and calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP) in peripheral venous plasma collected at 2‐min intervals over a 20‐min period from patients with chronic cardiac failure (CCF) and from control subjects. In a second study, blood samples were obtained at 2‐min intervals from the pulmonary artery, femoral artery and antecubital vein from patients with normal cardiac function while right atrial pressure and heart rate were constant. Results Peripheral blood VIP, NPY and ET‐1 had peaks and troughs (levels > 2SD from the mean) in both patients and controls, with approximate intervals of 10 min. Levels of CGRP showed little variation. The overall levels [median (range); pmol L −1 ] of VIP [patients 27 (2.1–85.5); controls 9.8 (0–34)] and NPY [patients 20 (0–110); controls 12 (5–19)] were higher in patients ( P < 0.05). Circulating plasma levels of ET‐1 and CGRP were about the same in both groups [ET‐1: patients 18 (2–84); controls 18 (0–48); CGRP: patients 4 (1–18.5), controls 5.5 (1–15); P = NS]. Levels of CGRP, VIP and ET‐1 were similar in the pulmonary and femoral arteries, whereas systemic arterial levels of NPY were higher than in the pulmonary artery. Conclusions The data demonstrate marked variability in circulating levels of the neuropeptides studied. In addition, peaks and troughs were observed every 10–15 min from all three vascular beds. If these peptides are secreted in a pulsatile pattern, then interpretations of single measurements should be guarded. Furthermore, this study raises interesting questions about the physiology of hormone secretion in man.