Specific receptor for vasoactive intestinal contractor in myenteric cholinergic neurones.

The receptor for vasoactive intestinal contractor (VIC) involved in acetylcholine release was examined in the guinea-pig ileum. VIC (10(-9) to 10(-7) M) evoked tritium outflow from ileal strips preloaded with [3H]choline, in a concentration-dependent manner. The evoked tritium outflow was Ca(2+)-dependent and tetrodotoxin-sensitive, suggesting that VIC acts on somato-dendritic regions of the cholinergic neurones to stimulate acetylcholine release. The response to VIC did not change after desensitization to either endothelin-1, endothelin-2 or endothelin-3, hence there is probably no cross-desensitization in evoked tritium outflow between VIC and endothelins. VIC-induced contractions consisted of tetrodotoxin-sensitive and -resistant contractions, and the tetrodotoxin-resistant contraction was abolished after desensitization to either endothelin-1, endothelin-2 or endothelin-3. These results indicate that the VIC-specific receptor is located on cholinergic neurones, but not on the smooth muscle cells of guinea-pig ileum.