1 Singapore Eye Research Institute , Singapore, Singapore .
2 Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences Academic Clinical Program (Eye ACP), Duke-NUS Medical School , Singapore, Singapore .
J Ocul Pharmacol Ther. 2018 Jan/Feb;34(1-2):177-187. doi: 10.1089/jop.2017.0024. Epub 2017 Jun 20.
Aquaporins (AQPs), a large family of membrane protein channels that facilitate transport of water and other small solutes, play important roles in physiological functions and human diseases. Up till now, 13 types of AQPs, numbered 0 through 12, have been identified in various mammalian tissues. Homologous genes for AQPs in amphibians, insects, and bacteria highlight the evolutionary conservation and, thus, the importance of these membrane channels. Many members of the AQP family are expressed in the eye. AQP1, which is a water-selective channel, is expressed in the anterior chamber (cornea, ciliary body, trabecular meshwork) and posterior chamber (retina and microvessels in choroid), controlling the fluid homeostasis in the eye. Mice knockout studies have indicated that AQP1 plays an important function in the eye by suggesting its role in aqueous humor dynamics and retina angiogenesis. This review will focus on the role of AQP1 as a novel target for ocular disorders such as glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration, and it will discuss challenges and advances in identifying modulators of AQP1 function that could be useful in clinical applications.
水通道蛋白（AQP）是一类能促进水和其他小分子溶质转运的膜蛋白通道，在生理功能和人类疾病中发挥着重要作用。到目前为止，已在各种哺乳动物组织中鉴定出 13 种 AQP，编号为 0 至 12。水通道蛋白在两栖动物、昆虫和细菌中的同源基因突出了这些膜通道的进化保守性，因此十分重要。水通道蛋白家族的许多成员在眼睛中表达。AQP1 是一种水选择性通道，在前房（角膜、睫状体、小梁网）和后房（视网膜和脉络膜中的微血管）表达，控制眼睛内的液体动态平衡。小鼠基因敲除研究表明，AQP1 通过在房水动力学和视网膜血管生成中发挥作用，在眼睛中发挥重要功能。本综述将重点讨论 AQP1 作为治疗青光眼和年龄相关性黄斑变性等眼部疾病的新靶点的作用，并讨论鉴定 AQP1 功能调节剂的挑战和进展，这些调节剂可能在临床应用中具有重要意义。
