title: Dystrophin-dependent and -independent AQP4 pools are expressed in the mouse brain.
abstract: In a recent study, we demonstrated that in the plasma membrane AQP4 is organized into several distinct large multisubunit complexes. In this study, we analysed whether these pools are similarly affected in dystrophin-deficient mice and immunolocalized the sites of dystrophin-dependent and -independent AQP4 pools. Western blot performed on two-dimensional Blue Native/SDS-PAGE membranes indicated that, among the AQP4 pools, it was mainly a large multisubunit complex that was specifically affected in dystrophin-deficient mice (DP71 and mdx3cv mice). This dystrophin-dependent AQP4 pool was immunolocalized in perivascular astrocytes, since it was found to be significantly altered in both types of dystrophin-deficient mice. Dystrophin-independent pools were immunolocalized in the granular cell layer of the cerebellum and in the subpial endfoot layer and ependymal cells in the brain. These data provide a better understanding on the association between AQP4 and the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex in the central nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Environmental Physiology and Centre of Excellence in Comparative Genomics (CEGBA), University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Grazia Paola
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Nicchia
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Uri
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Nudel
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Svelto
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frigeri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051401:Aquaporin 4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D049030:Dystroglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D016189:Dystrophin / Q000172:deficiency / Q000502:physiology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C496031:Aqp4 protein, mouse; D051401:Aquaporin 4; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D016189:Dystrophin; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009124:Muscle Proteins; C091825:syntrophin alpha1; D049030:Dystroglycans