title: Expression of aquaporins early in human pregnancy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aquaporins (AQPs) constitute a family of channel proteins implicated in transmembrane water transport. Thirteen different AQPs (AQP0-12) have been described but their precise biologic function still remains unclear. AQPs 1, 3, 4, 8, and 9 expression has been described in human chorion, amnion and placenta; however, AQP4 is the only that has been identified in the first trimester of human pregnancy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess multiplicity of AQPs expression from 10th to 14th week gestation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Chorionic villi samples (CVS) collected in pregnant women for prenatal diagnosis were analysed by real time-PCR to assess cDNA expression of AQPs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 11, and compared with AQPs expression in placentas from normal term pregnancies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  26 CVS corresponding to 26 pregnant women (age: 32.7±4.5 years; gestational age: 12.4±0.9 weeks) and 10 placental samples corresponding to normal term pregnancies were analysed. In CVS karyotype was normal in 16 cases, trisomy in 6 cases, mosaicism in 1 and unknown in 1. We found high mRNA expression for AQPs 1, 3, 9 and 11, low for AQPs 4, 5, and 8, and non-detectable for AQPs 2, 6, and 7 in chorionic villi.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study systematically assessing the expression of a multiplicity of AQPs in chorionic villi samples between 10th and 14th weeks of gestation. High expression of AQP11 has been identified for the first time in early stages of human pregnancy. Chromosomal abnormalities did not alter AQPs' expression.
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Research Unit, Research Institute Hospital La Fe, Bulevar Sur s/n, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Escobar
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gormaz
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arduini
authors.forename: Karien
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gosens
authors.forename: Anabel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perales
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Escrig
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tormos
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roselló
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Orellana
authors.forename: Máximo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vento
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D020346:Aquaporins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002824:Chorionic Villi / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D059785:Karyotype; D009928:Organ Specificity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D020346:Aquaporins; D012333:RNA, Messenger