Vasopressin-aquaporin-2 pathway: recent advances in understanding water balance disorders

Marianna Ranieri; Annarita Di Mise; Grazia Tamma; Giovanna Valenti

doi:10.12688/f1000research.16654.1

Vasopressin-aquaporin-2 pathway: recent advances in understanding water balance disorders

F1000Res. 2019 Feb 4:8:F1000 Faculty Rev-149. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.16654.1. eCollection 2019.

Authors

Marianna Ranieri¹, Annarita Di Mise¹, Grazia Tamma^{1

2}, Giovanna Valenti^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, Bari, Italy, 70125, Italy.
² Istituto Nazionale di Biostrutture e Biosistemi, Rome, Roma, Italy, 00136, Italy.
³ Center of Excellence in Comparative Genomics (CEGBA), University of Bari, Bari, Italy, 70125, Italy.

Abstract

The alteration of water balance and related disorders has emerged as being strictly linked to the state of activation of the vasopressin-aquaporin-2 (vasopressin-AQP2) pathway. The lack of responsiveness of the kidney to the vasopressin action impairs its ability to concentrate the urine, resulting in polyuria, polydipsia, and risk of severe dehydration for patients. Conversely, non-osmotic release of vasopressin is associated with an increase in water permeability in the renal collecting duct, producing water retention and increasing the circulatory blood volume. This review highlights some of the new insights and recent advances in therapeutic intervention targeting the dysfunctions in the vasopressin-AQP2 pathway causing diseases characterized by water balance disorders such as congenital nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion, nephrogenic syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis, and autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. The recent clinical data suggest that targeting the vasopressin-AQP2 axis can provide therapeutic benefits in patients with water balance disorders.

Keywords: ADPKD; AQP2; NDI; NSIAD; SIADH; Vasopressin.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Aquaporin 2 / genetics*
Diabetes Insipidus, Nephrogenic / genetics
Diabetes Insipidus, Nephrogenic / physiopathology
Humans
Kidney / physiopathology*
Kidney Diseases / genetics*
Kidney Diseases / physiopathology
Mutation
Vasopressins / genetics*

Substances

AQP2 protein, human
Aquaporin 2
Vasopressins

Grants and funding

This study was supported in part by Telethon funding (grant number GGP13227) and by ASI (Italian Space Agency, grant number 2013-091-R.0). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.