Presence of helodermin-like peptides of the VIP-secretin family in mammalian salivary glands and saliva

• Published in: FEBS letters Vol. 190; no. 1; pp. 142 - 146
• Main Authors: Robberecht, Patrick, de Neef, Philippe, Vandermeers, André, Vandermeers-Piret, Marie-Claire, Svoboda, Michal, Meuris, Sylvian, de Graef, Jacques, Woussen-Colle, Marie-Claire, Yanaihara, Chizuko, Yanaihara, Noboru, Christophe, Jean
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 07-10-1985; Elsevier
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Aminoacids, peptides. Hormones. Neuropeptides; Analytical, structural and metabolic biochemistry; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Chromatography, Gel; Dogs; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gila monster venom; Helodermin; Humans; Mammalian salivary gland; Peptides - analysis; Proteins; Radioimmunoassay; Rats; Saliva; Saliva - analysis; Salivary Glands - analysis; Secretin - analysis; Secretin/VIP peptide family; Species Specificity; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide - analysis; Helodermin; Mammalian salivary gland; Gila monster venom; Saliva; Secretin/VIP peptide family; Human; Peptides; Peptide hormone; Salivary gland; Primary structure; Pig; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Sauria; Venom; Reptilia; Artiodactyla; VIP; Ungulata; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0014-5793; 1873-3468
• DOI: 10.1016/0014-5793(85)80445-2

Helodermin is a biologically active peptide isolated from the venom of the Gila monster lizard (
Heloderma suspectum) whose structure is related to that of vasoactive intestinal peptide and secretin. Using a specific radioimmunoassay based on antisera prepared by immunizing rabbits with natural helodermin, we demonstrated the presence of helodermin-like material in mammalian salivary glands, including parotid, submaxillary and sublingual glands from rat and dog, and parotid and submaxillary glands from man. All helodermin-like materials had an apparent molecular mass of 4–12 kDa. Dog saliva, collected after pilocarpine stimulation, revealed similar immunoreactivity with a major component around 6 kDa.