Involvement of aquaporins in colorectal carcinogenesis.
Aquaporins (AQPs) are important in controlling water permeability. As AQP1 is known as a serum-responsive gene, we hypothesized that AQP expression may be involved in the development of human cancer. By reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis, expression of AQPs 1, 3, and 5 was found in seven colon and colorectal cancer cell lines. Western blot analysis confirmed their expression in four of these cell lines. In situ hybridization demonstrated that during colorectal carcinogenesis, the expression of AQPs 1 and 5 was induced in early-stage disease (early dysplasia) and maintained through the late stages of colon cancer development. Expression of AQPs 1 and 5 was maintained even in metastatic lesions in the liver. These findings demonstrate that the expression of several AQPs is found in tumor cells and is associated with an early stage of colorectal cancer development. These novel observations suggest that multiple AQP expression may be advantageous to tumorigenesis, which may lead to a better understanding of colorectal carcinogenesis.
Moon
Chulso
C
The Head and Neck Cancer Research Division, Department of Otolaryngology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. cmoon5@jhmi.edu
Soria
Jean-Charles
JC
Jang
Se Jin
SJ
Lee
Juna
J
Obaidul Hoque
Mohammad
M
Sibony
Mathilde
M
Trink
Barry
B
Chang
Yoon Soo
YS
Sidransky
David
D
Mao
Li
L
D051398:Aquaporin 1; D051400:Aquaporin 3; D051402:Aquaporin 5; D020346:Aquaporins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001789:Blood Group Antigens; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
C496020:AQP1 protein, human; C496027:AQP3 protein, human; C496036:AQP5 protein, human; D051402:Aquaporin 5; D020346:Aquaporins; D001789:Blood Group Antigens; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051398:Aquaporin 1; D051400:Aquaporin 3