VIP in neurological diseases: more than a neuropeptide.

A hallmark in most neurological disorders is a massive neuronal cell death, in which uncontrolled immune response is usually involved, leading to neurodegeneration. The vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is a pleiotropic peptide that combines neuroprotective and immunomodulatory actions. Alterations on VIP/VIP receptors in patients with neurodenegerative diseases, together with its involvement in the development of embryonic nervous tissue, and findings found in VIP-deficient mutant mice, have showed the relevance of this endogenous peptide in normal physiology and in pathologic states of the central nervous system (CNS). In this review, we will summarize the role of VIP in normal CNS and in neurological disorders. The studies carried out with this peptide have demonstrated its therapeutic effect and render it as an attractive candidate to be considered in several neurological disorders linked to neuroinflammation or abnormal neural development.