ID No.: S421100833A
Aquaporin 1 specifically accumulate around astrocyte
nuclear to mediates Glu-induced nuclear swelling
1
1
1
1,2,3,*
Rui Chao CHAI , Ye ZHOU , Chun Zhang YANG , Albert Cheung Hoi YU
1
Neuroscience Research Institute, Peking University; Key Laboratory for
Neuroscience (Peking University), Ministry of Education; Key Laboratory for
Neuroscience (Peking University), Ministry of Health; Department of Neurobiology,
Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
2
Infectious Disease Center, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
3
Laboratory of Translational Medicine, Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Peking
University, Beijing 100191, China
*Corresponding author
E-mail: achy@bjmu.edu.cn
Abstract: Objective Aquaporins (AQPs) belong to the water-specific channel protein
family and have been reported to involve in cell and its organelle swelling. It
has been reported to involve in multiple functions in CNS. Our study is to explore
the role of AQP1 in the specific nuclear response of astrocytes to Glu. Methods
Expression and localization of AQP1 in atrocytes were detected through RT-PCR,
Western Blot, Immunostaining and AQP1-EGFP transfection. Overexpression of AQP1
and AQP1’s inhibitor treatment were used to study the role of AQP1 in Glu-induced
nuclear swelling in astrocytes. Results We found that aquaporin-1 (AQP1) was
uniquely expressed and located on the nuclear membrane of astrocytes to facilitate
Glu-induced nuclear swelling.
Over-expression of AQP1 in astrocytes could
accelerate and enhance nuclear swelling and if inhibited would prevent swelling.
The AQP1 localization and Glu-induced nuclear swelling are both specific to
astrocytes, and could not be found in any other cells type. These unique features
were also observed in human astrocytes. Conclusion Our study revealed that AQP1
mediated a specific nuclear response of astrocytes to Glu that might serve to
facilitate communication of excitatory information between neurons and astrocytes
through an as yet unknown mechanism. [This work was supported by the National
Natural Science Foundation of China (30870818, and 31070974); and the Beijing
Natural Science Foundation (7091004); and the Major State Basic Research Development
Program of China (973 Program, Grant No.: 2011CB504400).]
Key words: aquaporin-1, glutamate, astrocyte, nuclear swelling.