title: Aquaporins: New Targets for Cancer Therapy.
abstract: Aquaporins are a family of integral membrane proteins that are expressed in all living organisms and play vital roles in transcellular and transepithelial water movement. Cell viability and motility are critical for progression of cancer. Cell survival requires the suitable concentration of water and solutes. The balance is largely maintained by aquaporins whose major function is the transport of water and small solutes across the plasma membrane. The important role of aquaporins has received more and more attention in the recent years. A number of recent studies have revealed that aquaporins may be involved in cell migration and angiogenesis. This review will highlight the expression of aquaporins in different malignant neoplasms. Remarkably, we will summarize the influence of drugs on aquaporins, not only the traditional Chinese medicine but also the Western medicine. Therapeutic targeting of aquaporins may thus be advantageous for blocking the mechanism common for a number of key cancer phenotypes.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Oncology Department, Weifang People's Hospital, Kuiwen, Weifang, China.
authors.forename: Liping
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Medicine Department, Second People's Hospital of Weifang, Kuiwen, Weifang, China.
authors.forename: Yixiang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Patient Department, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Hexi, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Xiongzhi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Clinical Oncology Department, Weifang People's Hospital, Kuiwen, Weifang, China wlpggyx2015@163.com.
authors.forename: Guohua
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020346:Aquaporins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D020346:Aquaporins; D014867:Water
keywords: aquaporin; cancer; drugs; the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)