Description of Invention: Aquaporins, also known as water channels, form pores in cell membranes and selectively transport water in and out of the cell. Aquaporins are involved in regulation of water balance and blood pressure, and thirteen different isoforms have been found in mammals. Aquaporin 2 (AQP2) is located in the collecting duct of the kidney, and is regulated by the peptide hormone vasopressin. AQP2 expression is increased in conditions where there is water retention, such as pregnancy and congestive heart failure, and mutations of AQP2 are associated with nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. Also, lithium treatment, often administered for bipolar disorder, can cause acquired diabetes insipidus by decreasing AQP2 expression.
The inventors have developed rabbit polyclonal antibodies directed against a peptide sequence in the C-terminal region of AQP2 (LKGLEPDTDWEEREVRRRQ). The sequence is upstream of phosphorylation sites in this region, and consequently the antibodies recognize both unphosphorylated and phosphorylated AQP2. The sequence is identical in human, rat, mouse, cow, and sheep.
Applications: Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and immunoprecipitation.
Inventors: Mark A. Knepper (NHLBI)
Patent Status: Research Tool -- Patent prosecution is not being pursued for this technology
SR DiGiovanni, S Nielsen, EI Christensen, MA Knepper. Regulation of collecting duct water channel expression by vasopressin in Brattleboro rat. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1994 Sep 13;91(19):8984-8988. [ PubMed abs ]
Licensing Status: This technology is available as a research tool under a Biological Materials License.
Portfolios: Internal Medicine Internal Medicine - Research Materials Rare Diseases
For Additional Information Please Contact: Steven Standley Ph.D. NIH Office of Technology Transfer 6011 Executive Blvd. Suite 325, Rockville, MD 20852 United States Email: email@example.com Phone: 301-435-4074 Fax: 301-402-0220