Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) controls the development of the nervous system and its functions through VPAC1 receptor signaling: Lessons from microcephaly and hyperalgesia in VIP-deficient mice.

Abstract

The studies carried out during my PhD demonstrate that VIP-deficient mice suffer from microcephaly and as well as white matter deficits mainly due to the absence of maternal VIP during embryogenesis, Placental secretion of VIP is dependent on T lymphocytes and could be altered in pathologies of the immune system. Moreover, our data links VIP deficiency to sensory alterations, specifically, the nociceptive system. Thus, it is possible that early developmental defects and hypersensitivity to mechanical and cold stimuli are two manifestations of the same pathology. This hypothesis was reinforced following analysis of spontaneous firing patterns of neurons in the sensory thalamus of anesthetized adult males. Neurons from VIP-KO mice are hyperactive, which suggests aberrant local processing of nociceptive input or that the inhibitory inputs from local interneuron networks is reduced.National Research Foundation (South Africa