Sympathetic neurons and chromaffin cells derive from common sympathoadrenal precursors which arise from the neural crest. Cells from this lineage migrate to their final destination and differentiate by acquiring a catecholaminergic phenotype in response to different environmental factors. It has been shown that the neuropeptide pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) and its PAC1 receptor are expressed at early stages of sympathetic development, and participate to the control of neuroblast proliferation and differentiation. PACAP also acts as a neurotransmitter to stimulate catecholamine and neuropeptide biosynthesis and release from sympathetic neurons and chromaffin cells, during development and in adulthood. In addition, PACAP and its receptors have been described in neuroblastoma and pheochromocytoma, and the neuropeptide regulates the differentiation and activity of sympathoadrenal-derived tumoral cell lines, suggestive of an important role in the pathophysiology of the sympathoadrenal lineage. Transcriptome studies uncovered genes and pathways of known and unknown roles that underlie the effects of PACAP in the sympathoadrenal system.

中文翻译：

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PACAP 在交感肾上腺系统生理学和病理学中的作用

交感神经元和嗜铬细胞源自于神经嵴产生的常见交感肾上腺前体。来自这个谱系的细胞迁移到它们的最终目的地，并通过响应不同的环境因素获得儿茶酚胺能表型来分化。研究表明，神经肽垂体腺苷酸环化酶激活多肽 (PACAP) 及其 PAC1 受体在交感神经发育的早期阶段表达，并参与神经母细胞增殖和分化的控制。PACAP 还作为神经递质刺激儿茶酚胺和神经肽的生物合成，并在发育和成年期从交感神经元和嗜铬细胞中释放。此外，在神经母细胞瘤和嗜铬细胞瘤中已经描述了 PACAP 及其受体，神经肽调节交感肾上腺来源的肿瘤细胞系的分化和活性，表明在交感肾上腺谱系的病理生理学中具有重要作用。转录组研究揭示了作为 PACAP 在交感肾上腺系统中作用的基础的已知和未知作用的基因和通路。