Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) innervation of rat spleen, thymus, and lymph nodes.

Bellinger DL, Lorton D, Horn L, Brouxhon S, Felten SY, Felten DL

Peptides1 Jan 1997Cited by 28 (Europe PMC)

PMID9396054DOI10.1016/s0196-9781(97)00075-2PepBankPUB-09396054

Publisher page PubMedAsk about this study

Summary

The text of this summary is not shown here, because the article license does not allow reuse. Read it at the source (opens in a new tab)

Text rights: CC BY-NC-ND. Results still quote short attributed sentences.

Results from this study8

No result from this study comes from a test of the peptide.

Natural levels measured8

These results measure the body's own peptide. Nobody was given the peptide. They are not evidence about taking it. They are left out of key results, evidence counts and charts.

01AnimalEndogenous levelAnimal study (in vivo)Other
In rats, VIP-positive fibers were found in the thymic capsular/septal system, cortex and medulla.
In plain wordsIn rats, the body's own VIP was found in nerve fibers of the thymus.
Peptide
Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP, aviptadil)
Outcome
Not applicableVIP-positive fibers in thymus
Study
ratn: not reported in source
Outcome group
Immune response · Immune and inflammation
Source sentences
Summary
In the thymus, VIP-positive (+) fibers were found in the capsular/septal system, cortex, and medulla.
This result measures the body's own Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP, aviptadil). Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Report a problemFND-0939605401
02AnimalEndogenous levelAnimal study (in vivo)Other
In rats, VIP-positive nerves ran along large arteries and central arterioles of the spleen and in white pulp, venous/trabecular system and red pulp.
In plain wordsIn rats, natural VIP was found in spleen nerves along blood vessels and in several spleen areas.
Peptide
Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP, aviptadil)
Outcome
Not applicableVIP-positive nerves in spleen
Study
ratn: not reported in source
Outcome group
Immune response · Immune and inflammation
Source sentences
Summary
In the spleen, VIP+ nerves coursed along large arteries and central arterioles, and in the white pulp, venous/trabecular system, and red pulp.
This result measures the body's own Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP, aviptadil). Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Report a problemFND-0939605402
03AnimalEndogenous levelAnimal study (in vivo)Other
In rats, splenic VIP innervation was more robust in Long-Evans hooded rats than in Fischer 344 rats.
In plain wordsIn rats, the body's own VIP nerve supply of the spleen was stronger in Long-Evans hooded rats than in Fischer 344 rats.
Peptide
Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP, aviptadil)
Outcome
IncreaseSplenic VIP innervation by rat strain
Study
ratn: not reported in source
Comparator
Fischer 344 rats
Outcome group
Immune response · Immune and inflammation
Source sentences
Summary
Splenic VIP innervation was more robust in Long-Evans hooded rats than in Fischer 344 rats.
This result measures the body's own Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP, aviptadil). Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Report a problemFND-0939605403
04AnimalEndogenous levelAnimal study (in vivo)Other
In rats, VIP-positive nerves in mesenteric lymph nodes were found in the cortex and along the cortical vasculature and medullary cords.
In plain wordsIn rats, natural VIP was found in nerves of the mesenteric lymph nodes.
Peptide
Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP, aviptadil)
Outcome
Not applicableVIP-positive nerves in mesenteric lymph nodes
Study
ratn: not reported in source
Outcome group
Immune response · Immune and inflammation
Source sentences
Summary
VIP+ nerves in mesenteric lymph nodes were found in the cortex, and along the cortical vasculature and medullary cords.
This result measures the body's own Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP, aviptadil). Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Report a problemFND-0939605404
05AnimalEndogenous levelAnimal study (in vivo)Other
In rats, no VIP innervation was observed in popliteal lymph nodes.
In plain wordsIn rats, no nerve supply containing the body's own VIP was seen in popliteal lymph nodes.
Peptide
Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP, aviptadil)
Outcome
No significant changeVIP innervation in popliteal lymph nodes
Study
ratn: not reported in source
Outcome group
Immune response · Immune and inflammation
Source sentences
Summary
No VIP innervation was observed in popliteal lymph nodes.
This result measures the body's own Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP, aviptadil). Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Report a problemFND-0939605405
06AnimalEndogenous levelAnimal study (in vivo)Other
In rats, immunocytes in lymphoid organs were VIP-positive, which suggests that both nerve and cell synthesis contribute to VIP concentration.
In plain wordsIn rats, immune cells in lymphoid organs also contained the body's own VIP.
Peptide
Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP, aviptadil)
Outcome
Not applicableVIP-positive immunocytes in lymphoid organs
Study
ratn: not reported in source
Outcome group
Immune response · Immune and inflammation
Source sentences
Summary
Immunocytes also were VIP+, suggesting that both neural and cellular synthesis of VIP contributes to VIP concentration in lymphoid organs.
This result measures the body's own Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP, aviptadil). Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Report a problemFND-0939605406
07AnimalEndogenous levelAnimal study (in vivo)Other
In rats, surgical sympathectomy did not alter splenic or thymic VIP content.
In plain wordsIn rats, removing sympathetic nerves did not change the body's own VIP content of spleen or thymus.
Peptide
Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP, aviptadil)
Outcome
No significant changeSplenic and thymic VIP content after sympathectomy
Study
ratn: not reported in source
Comparator
No sympathectomy
Outcome group
Immune response · Immune and inflammation
Source sentences
Summary
Surgical sympathectomy did not alter splenic or thymic VIP content, respectively
This result measures the body's own Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP, aviptadil). Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Report a problemFND-0939605407
08AnimalEndogenous levelAnimal study (in vivo)Other
In rats, surgical sympathectomy did not alter VIP innervation of the spleen and thymus.
In plain wordsIn rats, removing sympathetic nerves did not change the body's own VIP nerve supply of spleen or thymus.
Peptide
Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP, aviptadil)
Outcome
No significant changeVIP innervation of spleen and thymus after sympathectomy
Study
ratn: not reported in source
Comparator
No sympathectomy
Outcome group
Immune response · Immune and inflammation
Source sentences
Summary
and VIP innervation of these organs was not altered, suggesting an origin for VIP+ nerves other than the sympathetic nervous system.
This result measures the body's own Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP, aviptadil). Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Report a problemFND-0939605408

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

Version 2Current
12 Oct 2026, 12:58 UTC
Study results updated
Version 1
9 Oct 2026, 12:41 UTC
First added · source update from Europe PMC

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