Effects of nonpeptide vasopressin V2 antagonist tolvaptan in rats with heart failure

Similar to other neurohormones that are activated in chronic heart failure (CHF), circulating arginine vasopressin (AVP) is elevated in patients with CHF. The precise role of AVP in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease is controversial. AVP is a peptide hormone that contributes to water retention and vasoconstriction in CHF through effects on V2 and V1a receptors, respectively. In the present study, the effect of V2 receptor (V2R) blockade using tolvaptan was assessed in a rat model of myosin-induced experimental autoimmune myocarditis. CHF was elicited in Lewis rats by immunization with porcine cardiac myosin, and 28 days after immunization rats were treated for 28 days with oral tolvaptan (3 or 10 mg/(kg day)) or vehicle. CHF was characterized by left ventricular remodeling and impaired systolic and diastolic function. Chronic V2R blockade increased urine volume and urinary AVP excretion and decreased urine osmolality but had no natriuretic effect, and as a result caused increases in plasma osmolality and sodium. High doses of tolvaptan markedly elevated electrolyte-free water clearance. V2R blockade did not activate the renin–angiotensin system, not influence cardiac remodeling, cardiac function, or survival. The upregulation of aquaporin 2 protein in the kidney of CHF rats was inhibited by the administration of V2R antagonist. These results suggest that in a rat model of CHF, AVP plays a major role in water retention through the renal V2R.