Laboratory of Pathophysiological and Nutritional Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 808 Route de Lennik, Blg G/E CP 611, B-1070 Brussels, Belgium.
McGill Craniofacial Tissue Engineering and Stem Cells Laboratory, Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0C7, Canada.
Cells. 2020 Jun 25;9(6):1547. doi: 10.3390/cells9061547.
The main role of salivary glands (SG) is the production and secretion of saliva, in which aquaporins (AQPs) play a key role by ensuring water flow. The AQPs are transmembrane channel proteins permeable to water to allow water transport across cell membranes according to osmotic gradient. This review gives an insight into SG AQPs. Indeed, it gives a summary of the expression and localization of AQPs in adult human, rat and mouse SG, as well as of their physiological role in SG function. Furthermore, the review provides a comprehensive view of the involvement of AQPs in pathological conditions affecting SG, including Sjögren's syndrome, diabetes, agedness, head and neck cancer radiotherapy and SG cancer. These conditions are characterized by salivary hypofunction resulting in xerostomia. A specific focus is given on current and future therapeutic strategies aiming at AQPs to treat xerostomia. A deeper understanding of the AQPs involvement in molecular mechanisms of saliva secretion and diseases offered new avenues for therapeutic approaches, including drugs, gene therapy and tissue engineering. As such, AQP5 represents a potential therapeutic target in different strategies for the treatment of xerostomia.
唾液腺（SG）的主要功能是分泌唾液，水通道蛋白（AQPs）在其中起着关键作用，通过确保水流来保证水的流动。AQPs 是一种跨膜通道蛋白，可让水分子根据渗透压梯度穿过细胞膜进行水的运输。这篇综述深入探讨了 SG AQPs。实际上，它总结了 AQPs 在成人、大鼠和小鼠 SG 中的表达和定位，以及它们在 SG 功能中的生理作用。此外，该综述全面介绍了 AQPs 在影响 SG 的病理状况中的作用，包括干燥综合征、糖尿病、衰老、头颈部癌症放疗和 SG 癌。这些病症的特征是唾液分泌功能降低导致口干。特别关注当前和未来针对 AQPs 的治疗策略，以治疗口干。对 AQPs 在唾液分泌和疾病的分子机制中的作用的深入了解为治疗方法提供了新的途径，包括药物、基因治疗和组织工程。因此，AQP5 代表了不同治疗口干策略的潜在治疗靶点。
