Acta Neuropharmacologica››2012,Vol. 2››Issue (1): 20-27.

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Involvement of Water Channel Aquaporin 4 in the Nervous Disorders

WANG Wei-ling,YANG Bao-xue

  1. Department of Pharmacology,School of Basic Medical Sciences,Peking University,State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs,Beijing,100191,China
  • Online:2012-02-26Published:2013-05-06
  • Contact:杨宝学,男,教授,博士,博士生导师;研究方向:膜通道药理学;Tel: +86-010-82825622,E-mail:baoxue@bjmu.edu.cn
  • About author:王伟玲,女,硕博连读研究生;研究方向:膜通道药理学; Tel:+86-010-82805559,E-mail:wangwl_1014@163.com
  • Supported by:

    国家重大新药创制科技专项(No.2009ZX09103),国家自然科学基金资助项目(No.30870921、81170632),科技部国际科技合作与交流专项(No.2012DFA11070),教育部博士点基金资助项目(No.20100001110047)

Abstract:The aquaporins (AQP) are a family of water-transporting proteins. Aquaporin4 (AQP4) is expressed in astrocytes throughout the central nervous system, as well as in Müller cells in the retina, Claudius/Hensen cells in the inner ear and olfactory epithelial cells. There are two AQP4 isoforms, M1 and M23, produced by alternative splicing. M23 AQP4 forms heterotetramers that assemble in the cell membrane in supramolecular structures called orthogonal arrays of particles (OAP). Phenotype analysis of AQP4-null mice indicates the involvement of AQP4 in brain and spinal cord water balance, astrocyte migration, neural signal transduction and neuroinflammation. AQP4-null mice manifest reduced brain swelling in cytotoxic cerebral edema, but increased brain swelling in vasogenic edema and hydrocephalus. AQP4 deficiency increases seizure duration. AQP4 is also involved in the neuroin?ammatory demyelinating disease neuromyelitis optica, where autoantibodies (NMO-IgG) targeting AQP4 produce astrocyte damage and in?ammation. This review summarizes the effect and possible mechanism of AQP4 in nervous system diseases, such as epilepsy, edema and neuromyelitis optica.

Key words:aquaporin4 (AQP4),orthogonal arrays of particle,epilepsy,edema,neuromyelitis optica

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