title: Expression of pulmonary aquaporin 1 is dramatically upregulated in mice with pulmonary fibrosis induced by bleomycin.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pulmonary fibrosis occurs due to fibroblast proliferation and collagen production in the lung and begins with alveolar inflammatory edema. Aquaporins (AQPs) play pivotal roles in lung fluid transport. In this study we establish the experimental model for pulmonary fibrosis in C57BL/6 mice to investigate expressions of AQP1 and AQP5 in lung tissue.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mice in model groups were treated intratracheally with bleomycin with the dose of 5 mg/kg body weight. The mice were sacrificed at 1 week, 2 weeks and 3 weeks respectively. The left upper lungs were harvested for histopathologic H-E and Masson's staining. The mRNAs of AQP1 and AQP5 were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR) and the proteins of AQP1 and AQP5 were analyzed by western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Real-time PCR showed that AQP1 mRNA in bleomycin 1 w, 2 w, and 3 w groups increased by 377%, 880% and 823% respectively compared to that in the control group (p < 0.01). Western blotting showed that the expression of AQP1 protein in bleomycin 1 w, 2 w, and 3 w groups increased by 53%, 144%, and 141%, respectively (p < 0.05). AQP5 mRNA in bleomycin 1 w and 2 w group decreased by 78% and 66%, respectively (p < 0.05). In bleomycin 2 w and 3 w groups it decreased by 69% and 80% (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expression of AQP1 dramatically increased in pulmonary fibrosis. AQP1 plays an important role in the progress of pulmonary fibrosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Minhang District Central Hospital, Ruijin Hospital Group, Shanghai, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiwen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Guifang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Hu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jinhong
keywords: aquaporin 1; aquaporin 5; bleomycin; pulmonary fibrosis