Distribution of PACAP and its mRNA in several nonneural tissues of rats demonstrated by sandwich enzyme immunoassay and RT-PCR technique.

The presence of PACAP in various organs was previously demonstrated using immunohistochemistry and radioimmunoassay. The aim of our work was to get information whether the presence of immunoreactive PACAP in various organs, mainly in the gastric mucosa, also indicates the place of its synthesis. The immunoreactive PACAP and its mRNA were measured in parallel assays using sandwich enzyme immunoassay (S-EIA) and RT-PCR technique. PACAP and its mRNA were demonstrated in the pancreas, testes, adrenal glands, ovaries, and in the oxyntic mucosa of the stomach. These results support our previous observation that PACAP is present not only in the nervous system and endocrine glands, but might be synthetized in the oxyntic mucosa of the stomach as well.