Description
PACAP-38 and its N-terminal fragment PACAP-27 are neuropeptides originally isolated from ovine hypothalamus, but also found in humans and rats. Both PACAP-27, which shows considerable homology with vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), and PACAP-38 stimulate adenylate cyclase much more potently than VIP. Specific PACAP receptors have been identified in different tissues and cell lines.Kojro et al. observed that the PAC1 agonists PACAP-27 and PACAP-38 strongly increased the activity of α-secretase, thus promoting the non-amyloidogenic processing of amyloid precursor protein.
