New topics in vasopressin receptors and approach to novel drugs: effects of vasopressin receptor on regulations of hormone secretion and metabolisms of glucose, fat, and protein.

The neurohypophyseal peptide [Arg(8)]-vasopressin (AVP) is involved in diverse functions such as the regulation of body fluid homeostasis, metabolism, and hormone secretion. In this study, we analyzed the functional roles of AVP in hormone release and metabolisms of glucose, fat, and protein in mutant mice lacking the V1a (V1aR-KO) or V1b receptor (V1bR-KO). Our study suggests that antagonists for the receptors could affect the hormone secretions and metabolisms.