title: Mammalian aquaglyceroporin function in metabolism.
abstract: Aquaglyceroporins are integral membrane proteins that are permeable to glycerol as well as water. The movement of glycerol from a tissue/organ to the plasma and vice versa requires the presence of different aquaglyceroporins that can regulate the entrance or the exit of glycerol across the plasma membrane. Actually, different aquaglyceroporins have been discovered in the adipose tissue, small intestine, liver, kidney, heart, skeletal muscle, endocrine pancreas and capillary endothelium, and their differential expression could be related to obesity and the type 2 diabetes. Here we describe the expression and function of different aquaglyceroporins in physiological condition and in obesity and type 2 diabetes, suggesting they are potential therapeutic targets for metabolic disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Italy. Electronic address: lumberto@unipv.it.
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Laforenza
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bottino
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gastaldi
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D051397:Aquaglyceroporins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001693:Biological Transport, Active; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005990:Glycerol / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000378:metabolism; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D055806:Microvessels / Q000378:metabolism; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010179:Pancreas / Q000378:metabolism; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051397:Aquaglyceroporins; D014867:Water; D005990:Glycerol
keywords: Adipose tissue; Glycerol facilitators; Metabolic syndrome; Obesity; Plasma glycerol concentration