Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) receptors were characterized in epithelial plasma membranes from human small intestine. Native VIP inhibited the binding of 125I-labeled VIP to jejunal membranes, and Scatchard analysis of these data was consistent with the existence of one class of receptor with a dissociation constant of 42 pM and a maximal binding of 256 fmol/mg membrane protein. VIP stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity in human jejunal membranes in the 0.01 nM-1 microM range [half-maximal effective dose = 0.7 nM]. Coupling of VIP receptors with a Gs protein was further assessed by the ability of GTP (10(-8) to 10(-3) M) to inhibit 125I-VIP binding to membranes. 125I-VIP binding was seven to eight times higher in villus cells than in crypt cells. Finally, 125I-VIP binding was detectable throughout the small and large intestines with the highest binding in jejunum. Among the natural peptides structurally related to VIP, some inhibited 125I-VIP binding with the following order of potency: VIP = pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP)-27 = PACAP-38 > helodermin >> peptide histidine methionineamide = human growth hormone-releasing factor > secretin. The same order of potency of peptides for inhibiting 125I-VIP or 125I-labeled PACAP was observed, supporting that the two tracers bound to a common VIP-PACAP receptor site. This order of potency was also observed for the stimulation of adenylyl cyclase activity by these peptides. 125I-VIP was cross-linked to membranes using disuccinimidyl suberate. After sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis, one single band of 70,000 mol wt was observed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)