Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-like immunoreactivity in the bovine heart: high degree of coexistence with neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity.

It is not known whether VIP coexists with other neuropeptides or neurotransmitters in the heart. In the present study, the distribution of nerve fibers showing VIP-like immunoreactivity (VIP-LI) in various parts of the bovine heart was compared with that of fibers possessing neuropeptide Y (NPY)- and dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH)-LI. It was found that fibers showing VIP-LI most regularly occurred in the regions of sinuatrial and atrioventricular nodes and intracardiac ganglia, the nerve fibers being associated with nodal and ganglionic cells and arterial walls. Furthermore, it was observed that almost all fibers showing VIP-LI also exhibited NPY-LI. The fibers displaying VIP-LI occurred close to fibers endowed with DBH-LI, and on some occasions it appeared that varicosities showing immunolabeling for VIP also displayed DBH-LI. VIP- and NPY-LI, but not DBH-LI, was detected in some of the intracardiac ganglionic cells. The observations are discussed in relation to the previously known distribution and function of VIP in the heart and other organs. Further studies examining the effects of VIP and NPY in the heart should take into account possible interactions between these two peptides.