Mobasheri Ali, Marples David, Young Iain S, Floyd Rachel V, Moskaluk Christopher A, Frigeri Antonio
Division of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire, UK.
Channels (Austin). 2007 Jan-Feb;1(1):29-38.
Aquaporins facilitate osmotically driven water movement across cell membranes. Aquaporin 4 (AQP4) is a major water channel in the central nervous system where it participates in cerebral water balance. AQP4 is also present in basolateral membranes of lower respiratory tract airway and renal collecting duct epithelial cells, gastric parietal cells and skeletal muscle cells. However, the distribution of AQP4 in many other tissues is still unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the expression and relative abundance of AQP4 in human Tissue MicroArrays (TMAs) and human protein microarrays by immunohistochemistry and chemiluminescence. In the central nervous system AQP4 was abundantly expressed in the cerebral cortex, cerebellar cortex (purkinje/granular layer), ependymal cell layer, hippocampus and spinal cord. Lower levels were detected in choroid plexus, white matter and meninges. In the musculoskeletal system AQP4 was highly expressed in the sarcolemma of skeletal muscle from the chest and neck. In the male genital system AQP4 was moderately expressed in seminiferous tubules, seminal vesicles, prostate and epidiymis. In the respiratory system AQP4 was moderately expressed in lung and bronchus. AQP expression was abundant in the kidney. In the gastrointestinal system AQP4 was moderately present in basolateral membranes of parietal cells at the base of gastric glands. AQP4 was also detected in salivary glands, adrenals, anterior pituitary, prostate and seminal vesicles. Human protein microarrays verified the TMA data. Our findings suggest that AQP4 is expressed more widely than previously thought in human organs and may be involved in prostatic and seminal fluid formation.
水通道蛋白促进渗透压驱动的水跨细胞膜运动。水通道蛋白4（AQP4）是中枢神经系统中的主要水通道，参与脑水平衡。AQP4也存在于下呼吸道气道和肾集合管上皮细胞、胃壁细胞和骨骼肌细胞的基底外侧膜中。然而，AQP4在许多其他组织中的分布仍不清楚。本研究的目的是通过免疫组织化学和化学发光法确定水通道蛋白4在人组织微阵列（TMA）和人蛋白质微阵列中的表达及相对丰度。在中枢神经系统中，AQP4在大脑皮层、小脑皮层（浦肯野细胞层/颗粒层）、室管膜细胞层、海马体和脊髓中大量表达。在脉络丛、白质和脑膜中检测到较低水平的表达。在肌肉骨骼系统中，AQP4在胸部和颈部骨骼肌的肌膜中高表达。在男性生殖系统中，AQP4在生精小管、精囊、前列腺和附睾中中度表达。在呼吸系统中，AQP4在肺和支气管中中度表达。AQP在肾脏中大量表达。在胃肠系统中，AQP4在胃腺底部壁细胞的基底外侧膜中中度存在。在唾液腺、肾上腺、垂体前叶、前列腺和精囊中也检测到了AQP4。人蛋白质微阵列验证了TMA数据。我们的研究结果表明，AQP4在人体器官中的表达比以前认为的更广泛，可能参与前列腺液和精液的形成。
