Effect of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide on the cyclic adenosine monophosphate generating system in rat kidney glomeruli and cortical tubules.

The effect of in vitro addition of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) on the 3'-5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) generating system in rat kidney glomeruli and cortical tubules was studied. VIP did not stimulate cAMP accumulation in glomeruli; but VIP did stimulate, specifically and in a dose-dependent manner, cAMP concentrations in tubular membranes with the addition of GTP. These results are consistent with the existence of a functionally active VIP receptor coupled to adenylate cyclase in rat kidney cortical tubules.