title: Effects of estrogen deprivation on expression of aquaporins in rat vagina.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to investigate the expression of aquaporin (AQP) 0, AQP3, AQP5, AQP6, AQP10, AQP11, and AQP12 in the vaginal tissue of ovariectomized rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight-week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 18) were randomly divided into three groups: control group (n = 6), ovariectomy group (n = 6), and ovariectomy/estrogen therapy group (n = 6). After 4 weeks, vaginal lubrication level and expression of AQP0, AQP3, AQP5, AQP6, AQP10, AQP11, and AQP12 in vaginal tissue were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum estrogen level was significantly lower in the ovariectomy group than in the control and ovariectomy/estrogen therapy groups (P < 0.05). Vaginal lubrication was significantly lower in the ovariectomy group (mean [SD], 1.62 [0.30]) than in the control group (mean [SD], 2.37 [0.70]) and ovariectomy/estrogen therapy group (mean [SD], 2.38 [0.73]; P < 0.05). Protein expression of AQP0, AQP3, AQP5, AQP6, AQP10, AQP11, and AQP12 was significantly lower in the ovariectomy group than in the control and ovariectomy/estrogen therapy groups (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Decreased vaginal lubrication in ovariectomized rats after electrostimulation may be partly caused by decreased AQPs in vaginal tissue.
authors.affiliation: From the 1Medical Research Center, Affiliated Hospital, Luzhou Medical College, Luzhou, China; 2Department of Vascular Surgery, Affiliated Hospital, Luzhou Medical College, Luzhou, China; 3Department of Urology, Affiliated Hospital, Luzhou Medical College, Luzhou, China; and 4Department of Surgery, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX.
authors.forename: Jiyin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Jiyi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Yanzheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Haocheng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020346:Aquaporins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014621:Vagina / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D020346:Aquaporins; D004967:Estrogens