Wang Liping, Zhang Yixiang, Wu Xiongzhi, Yu Guohua
Clinical Oncology Department, Weifang People's Hospital, Kuiwen, Weifang, China.
Respiratory Medicine Department, Second People's Hospital of Weifang, Kuiwen, Weifang, China.
Technol Cancer Res Treat. 2016 Dec;15(6):821-828. doi: 10.1177/1533034615607693. Epub 2015 Oct 5.
Aquaporins are a family of integral membrane proteins that are expressed in all living organisms and play vital roles in transcellular and transepithelial water movement. Cell viability and motility are critical for progression of cancer. Cell survival requires the suitable concentration of water and solutes. The balance is largely maintained by aquaporins whose major function is the transport of water and small solutes across the plasma membrane. The important role of aquaporins has received more and more attention in the recent years. A number of recent studies have revealed that aquaporins may be involved in cell migration and angiogenesis. This review will highlight the expression of aquaporins in different malignant neoplasms. Remarkably, we will summarize the influence of drugs on aquaporins, not only the traditional Chinese medicine but also the Western medicine. Therapeutic targeting of aquaporins may thus be advantageous for blocking the mechanism common for a number of key cancer phenotypes.
水通道蛋白是一类整合膜蛋白，存在于所有生物体内，在跨细胞和跨上皮的水转运过程中发挥着至关重要的作用。细胞活力和运动能力对癌症进展至关重要。细胞存活需要适宜的水和溶质浓度。这种平衡很大程度上由水通道蛋白维持，其主要功能是介导水和小分子溶质跨质膜运输。近年来，水通道蛋白的重要作用受到了越来越多的关注。近期的多项研究表明，水通道蛋白可能参与细胞迁移和血管生成。本综述将重点介绍水通道蛋白在不同恶性肿瘤中的表达情况。值得注意的是，我们将总结药物对水通道蛋白的影响，不仅包括中药，也包括西药。因此，靶向水通道蛋白进行治疗可能有利于阻断多种关键癌症表型所共有的机制。
