Transgenic rat models of vasopressin overexpression

Vasopressin has an important role in water metabolism and its impairment induces some clinical disorders such as diabetes insipidus or syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis (SIAD). SIAD is caused by the overproduction of vasopressin which induces diluting hyponatremia. The accurate diagnosis and appropriate therapy have not settled up to date because its pathophysiology is very complicated. It is meaningful to develop a rat model of SIAD in which human vasopressin gene is overexpressed in order to analyze pathophysiological changes. Several models transgenic for vasopressin including us had been generated. The transgenic rats provide a useful model to investigate various pathophysiological changes resulting from the oversecretion of vasopressin. Some interesting results based on these animal models are reviewed.