Abstract
Arginine vasopressin (AVP) is a peptide hormone synthesised in the hypothalamus and secreted from nerve terminals within the posterior pituitary gland. Secretion is primarily under osmoregulatory control and levels rise in plasma in response to a body water deficit and are suppressed in response to water overload. The responsive end organ in osmoregulation is the kidney, and an increase in plasma AVP normally results in urine concentration while a decrease results in urine dilution and a diuresis. The hormone is present in urine. The level of AVP in urine is directly related to the prevailing plasma concentration, but is also influenced by urine concentration, osmolal clearance, and renal metabolism.
The measurement of AVP in plasma and urine is by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Prior extraction of the hormone is required to remove interfering substances and, particularly for plasma measurements, to concentrate the assayed sample. The secretion of AVP by the posterior pituitary gland is also stimulated by non-osmoregulatory factors such as reduced blood volume, reduced blood pressure, and nausea and is acutely suppressed by an oropharyngeal reflex. Plasma AVP measurement has a role in delineating complex osmoregulatory dysfunction, but protocols for study need to control the non-osmoregulated stimulatory and inhibitory factors. The urine AVP excretion rate corrected for osmolal clearance has a role in the assessment of renal responsiveness to its action.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
du Vigneaud V, Gish DT, Katsoyannis PG (1954) A synthetic preparation possessing biological properties associated with arginine vasopressin. J Am Chem Soc 76:4751–4752
Sachs H, Takabatake Y (1964) Evidence for a precursor in vasopressin biosynthesis. Endocrinology 75:943–948
Pullan PT, Clappison BH, Johnston CI (1979) Plasma vasopressin and human neurophysins in physiological and pathological states associated with changes in vasopressin secretion. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 49:580–587
Verney EB (1947) The antidiuretic hormone and the factors which determine its release. Proc Roy Soc 135:25–106
Robertson GL (1977) The regulation of vasopressin function in health and disease. Rec Prog Horm Res 33:333–385
Dunn FL, Brennen TJ, Nelson HE et al (1973) The role of blood osmolality and volume in regulating vasopressin secretion in the rat. J Clin Invest 52:3212–3219
Rowe JW, Shelton RL, Helderman H et al (1979) Influence of the emetic reflex on vasopressin release in man. Kid Int 16:729–735
Figaro MK, Mack GW (1997) Regulation of fluid intake in dehydrated humans: role of oropharyngeal stimulation. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 272:R1740–R1746
Hashida S, Tanaka K, Yamamoto N et al (1991) Detection of one attomole of [Arg8]-vasopressin by novel noncompetitive enzyme immunoassay (hetero-two-site complex transfer enzyme immunoassay). J Biochem 110:486–492
Baylis PH, Pitchfork J, Chayen J et al (1980) A cytochemical bioassay for arginine vasopressin: preliminary studies. J Immunoassay 1:399–499
Chen Y, Liu Y (2011) Analytical methods for the determination of anti-diuretic peptides in biological samples: challenges and perspectives. Curr Anal Chem 7:117–129
Fyhrquist F, Wallenius M, Hollemans HJG (1976) Radioimmunoassay of vasopressin in unextracted plasma. Scand J Clin Lab Invest 36:841–847
Husain MK, Fernando N, Shapiro M et al (1973) Radioimmunoassay of arginine vasopressin in human plasma. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 37:616–625
Morton JJ, Riegger AJG (1978) A novel extraction method for plasma vasopressin and its application in a radioimmunoassay. J Endocrinol 77:277–278
Penney MD, Hampton D, Oleesky DA et al (1992) Radioimmunoassays of arginine vasopressin and atrial natriuretic peptide: application of a common protocol for plasma extraction using Sep-Pak C18 cartridges. Ann Clin Biochem 29:652–658
Nielsen S, Chou CL, Marples D et al (1995) Vasopressin increases water permeability of the kidney collecting duct by inducing translocation of aquaporin–CD water channels to plasma membrane. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 92:1013–1017
Zerbe RL, Robertson GL (1981) A comparison of plasma vasopressin measurements with a standard indirect test in the differential diagnosis of polyuria. N Engl J Med 305:1539–1546
Davies JH, Penney M, Abbes AP et al (2005) Clinical features, diagnosis and molecular studies of familial central diabetes insipidus. Horm Res 64:231–237
Chan Seem CP, Dossetor JFB, Penney MD (1999) Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus due to a new mutation of the arginine vasopressin V2 receptor gene in a girl presenting with non-accidental injury. Ann Clin Bio 36:779–782
Penney MD (2008) Sodium, water and potassium. In: Marshall WJ, Bangert SK (eds) Clinical biochemistry: metabolic and clinical aspects, 2nd edn. Churchill Livingstone, London, UK, pp 28–66
Bartter FC, Schwartz WB (1967) The syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone. Am J Med 42:790–806
Howe JG, Penney MD, Currie S et al (1983) Thirst, resetting of the osmostat, and water intoxication following encephalitis. Ann Neurol 13:201–204
Chandrasekara WHMS, Khan S, Lakra SS et al (2006) Impaired thirst and AVP release due to a reset osmostat in a patient with partial cranial diabetes insipidus (CDI) and subtle pituitary disease. Endocrine Abstracts 11:P180
Robertson GL, Aycinena P, Zerbe RI (1982) Neurogenic disorders of osmoregulation. Am J Med 72:339–353
Khokhar AM, Ramage CM, Slater JDH (1978) Radioimmunoassay of arginine vasopressin in human urine and its use in physiological and pathological states. J Endocrinol 79:375–389
Penney MD (1985) The radioimmunoassay of arginine vasopressin in body fluids: application to the study of renal responsiveness to its action. MD thesis, University of London
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this protocol
Cite this protocol
El-Farhan, N., Hampton, D., Penney, M. (2013). Measurement of Arginine Vasopressin. In: Wheeler, M. (eds) Hormone Assays in Biological Fluids. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1065. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-616-0_8
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-616-0_8
Published:
Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ
Print ISBN: 978-1-62703-615-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-62703-616-0
eBook Packages: Springer Protocols