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Aquaporin-4, present in ependymal cells, in glia limiting and abundantly in pericapillary astrocyte foot processes, and aquaporin-1, expressed in choroid plexus epithelial cells, play an important role in cerebrospinal fluid production and may be involved in the pathophysiology of age-dependent hydrocephalus. The finding that brain aquaporins expression is regulated by low oxygen tension led us to investigate how hypoxia and elevated levels of cerebral aquaporins may result in an increase in cerebrospinal fluid production that could be associated with a hydrocephalic condition. Here we have explored, in young and aged mice exposed to hypoxia, whether aquaporin-4 and aquaporin-1 participate in the development of age-related hydrocephalus. Choroid plexus, striatum, cortex and ependymal tissue were analyzed separately both for mRNA and protein levels of aquaporins. Furthermore, parameters such as total ventricular volume, intraventricular pressure, cerebrospinal fluid outflow rate, ventricular compliance and cognitive function were studied in wild type, aquaporin-1 and aquaporin-4 knock-out animals subjected to hypoxia or normoxia. Our data demonstrate that hypoxia is involved in the development of age-related hydrocephalus by a process that depends on aquaporin-4 channels as a main route for cerebrospinal fluid movement. Significant increases in aquaporin-4 expression that occur over the course of animal aging, together with a reduced cerebrospinal fluid outflow rate and ventricular compliance, contribute to produce more severe hydrocephalus related to hypoxic events in aged mice, with a notable impairment in cognitive function. These results indicate that physiological events and/or pathological conditions presenting with cerebral hypoxia/ischemia contribute to the development of chronic adult hydrocephalus.

Aquaporin-1 (AQP1) has been associated with tumor development. Here, we investigated how AQP1 may affect cell proliferation. The proliferative rate of adult carotid body (CB) cells, known to proliferate under chronic hypoxia, was analyzed in wild-type (AQP1(+/+) ) and knock out (AQP1(-/-) ) mice, maintained in normoxia or exposed to hypoxia while BrdU was administered. Fewer numbers of total BrdU(+) and TH-BrdU(+) cells were observed in AQP1(-/-) mice, indicating a role for AQP1 in CB proliferation. Then, by flow cytometry, cell cycle state and proliferation of cells overexpressing AQP1 were compared to those of wild-type cells. In the AQP1-overexpressing cells, we observed higher cell proliferation and percentages of cells in phases S and G2/M and fewer apoptotic cells after nocodazole treatment were detected by annexin V staining. Also in these cells, proteomic assays showed higher expression of cyclin D1 and E1 and microarray analysis revealed changes in many cell proliferation-related molecules, including, Zeb 2, Jun, NF-kβ, Cxcl9, Cxcl10, TNF, and the TNF receptor. Overall, our results indicate that the presence of AQP1 modifies the expression of key cell cycle proteins apparently related to increases in cell proliferation. This contributes to explaining the presence of AQP1 in many different tumors.

AQP3 has been correlated with higher transport of glycerol, increment of ATP content, and larger proliferation capacity. Recently, we described the gold(III) complex Auphen as a very selective and potent inhibitor of AQP3's glycerol permeability (Pgly ). Here we evaluated Auphen effect on the proliferation of various mammalian cell lines differing in AQP3 expression level: no expression (PC12), moderate (NIH/3T3) or high (A431) endogenous expression, cells stably expressing AQP3 (PC12-AQP3), and human HEK293T cells transiently transfected (HEK-AQP3) for AQP3 expression. Proliferation was evaluated in the absence or presence of Auphen (5 μM) by counting number of viable cells and analyzing 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation. Auphen reduced ≈50% the proliferation in A431 and PC12-AQP3, ≈15% in HEK-AQP3 and had no effect in PC12-wt and NIH/3T3. Strong arrest in the S-G2/M phases of the cell cycle, supported by analysis of cyclins (A, B1, D1, E) levels, was observed in AQP3-expressing cells treated with Auphen. Flow-cytometry of propidium iodide incorporation and measurements of mitochondrial dehydrogenases activity confirmed absence of cytotoxic effect of the drug. Functional studies evidenced ≈50% inhibition of A431 Pgly by Auphen, showing that the compound's antiproliferative effect correlates with its ability to inhibit AQP3 Pgly . Role of Cys-40 on AQP3 permeability blockage by Auphen was confirmed by analyzing the mutated protein (AQP3-Ser-40). Accordingly, cells transfected with mutated AQP3 gained resistance to the antiproliferative effect of Auphen. These results highlight an Auphen inhibitory effect on proliferation of cells expressing AQP3 and suggest a targeted therapeutic effect on carcinomas with large AQP3 expression.

In addition to the extensive data demonstrating the importance of mammalian AQPs for the movement of water and some small solutes across the cell membrane, there is now a growing body of evidence indicating the involvement of these proteins in numerous cellular processes seemingly unrelated, at least some of them in a direct way, to their canonical function of water permeation. Here, we have presented a broad range of evidence demonstrating that these proteins have a role in cell proliferation by various different mechanisms, namely, by allowing fast cell volume regulation during cell division; by affecting progression of cell cycle and helping maintain the balance between proliferation and apoptosis, and by crosstalk with other cell membrane proteins or transcription factors that, in turn, modulate progression of the cell cycle or regulate biosynthesis pathways of cell structural components. In the end, however, after discussing all these data that strongly support a role for AQPs in the cell proliferation process, it remains impossible to conclude that all these other functions attributed to AQPs occur completely independently of their water permeability, and there is a need for new experiments designed specifically to address this interesting issue. Carlos III Health Institute (Ref. PI12/01882) Regional Department of Health (PI 0018-2014)

Abnormal AQP3 overexpression in tumor cells of different origins has been reported and a role for this enhanced AQP3 expression in cell proliferation and tumor processess has been indicated. To further understand the role AQP3 plays in cell proliferation we explore the effect that stable over expression of AQP3 produces over the proliferation rate and cell cycle of mammalian cells. The cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry with propidium iodide (PI) and the cell proliferation rate measured through cell counting and BrdU staining. Cells with overexpression of AQP3 (AQP3-o) showed higher proliferation rate and larger percentage of cells in phases S and G2/M, than wild type cells (wt). Evaluation of the cell response against arresting the cell cycle with Nocodazole showed that AQP3-o exhibited a less modified cell cycle pattern and lower Annexin V specific staining than wt, consistently with a higher resistance to apoptosis of AQP3-overexpressing cells. The cell volume and complexity were also larger in AQP3-o compared to wt cells. After transcriptomic analysis, RT-qPCR was performed to highlight key molecules implicated in cell proliferation which expression may be altered by overexpression of AQP3 and the comparative analysis between both type of cells showed significant changes in the expression of Zeb2, Jun, JunB, NF-kβ, Cxcl9, Cxcl10, TNF, and TNF receptors. We conclude that the role of AQP3 in cell proliferation seems to be connected to increments in the cell cycle turnover and changes in the expression levels of relevant genes for this process. Larger expression of AQP3 may confer to the cell a more tumor like phenotype and contributes to explain the presence of this protein in many different tumors.

Aquaporin-1 (AQP1) has been associated with tumor development. Here, we investigated how AQP1 may affect cell proliferation. The proliferative rate of adult carotid body (CB) cells, known to proliferate under chronic hypoxia, was analyzed in wild-type (AQP1(+/+) ) and knock out (AQP1(-/-) ) mice, maintained in normoxia or exposed to hypoxia while BrdU was administered. Fewer numbers of total BrdU(+) and TH-BrdU(+) cells were observed in AQP1(-/-) mice, indicating a role for AQP1 in CB proliferation. Then, by flow cytometry, cell cycle state and proliferation of cells overexpressing AQP1 were compared to those of wild-type cells. In the AQP1-overexpressing cells, we observed higher cell proliferation and percentages of cells in phases S and G2/M and fewer apoptotic cells after nocodazole treatment were detected by annexin V staining. Also in these cells, proteomic assays showed higher expression of cyclin D1 and E1 and microarray analysis revealed changes in many cell proliferation-related molecules, including, Zeb 2, Jun, NF-kβ, Cxcl9, Cxcl10, TNF, and the TNF receptor. Overall, our results indicate that the presence of AQP1 modifies the expression of key cell cycle proteins apparently related to increases in cell proliferation. This contributes to explaining the presence of AQP1 in many different tumors.

AQP3 has been correlated with higher transport of glycerol, increment of ATP content, and larger proliferation capacity. Recently, we described the gold(III) complex Auphen as a very selective and potent inhibitor of AQP3's glycerol permeability (Pgly ). Here we evaluated Auphen effect on the proliferation of various mammalian cell lines differing in AQP3 expression level: no expression (PC12), moderate (NIH/3T3) or high (A431) endogenous expression, cells stably expressing AQP3 (PC12-AQP3), and human HEK293T cells transiently transfected (HEK-AQP3) for AQP3 expression. Proliferation was evaluated in the absence or presence of Auphen (5 μM) by counting number of viable cells and analyzing 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation. Auphen reduced ≈50% the proliferation in A431 and PC12-AQP3, ≈15% in HEK-AQP3 and had no effect in PC12-wt and NIH/3T3. Strong arrest in the S-G2/M phases of the cell cycle, supported by analysis of cyclins (A, B1, D1, E) levels, was observed in AQP3-expressing cells treated with Auphen. Flow-cytometry of propidium iodide incorporation and measurements of mitochondrial dehydrogenases activity confirmed absence of cytotoxic effect of the drug. Functional studies evidenced ≈50% inhibition of A431 Pgly by Auphen, showing that the compound's antiproliferative effect correlates with its ability to inhibit AQP3 Pgly . Role of Cys-40 on AQP3 permeability blockage by Auphen was confirmed by analyzing the mutated protein (AQP3-Ser-40). Accordingly, cells transfected with mutated AQP3 gained resistance to the antiproliferative effect of Auphen. These results highlight an Auphen inhibitory effect on proliferation of cells expressing AQP3 and suggest a targeted therapeutic effect on carcinomas with large AQP3 expression.

Overexpression of cell membrane aquaporins (AQPs) has recently been associated with tumor formation, particularly with angiogenesis, cell migration and proliferation. Additionally, the hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) family has been extensively implicated in tumor growth and recent studies evidence interplay between AQP expression and HIF stability. Therefore, we decided to explore the effect that AQP overexpression has on the long-term stability of HIF-2α in PC12 cells exposed to chronic hypoxia, characteristic of a growing tumor. HIF-2α levels were analyzed in five PC12 clones with stable overexpression of different proteins (AQP1, AQP3, AQP5, G6PD, and GDNF), in PC12 transiently expressing G6PD or Kv4.2, and in wild-type PC12 cells. Overexpression of AQP1, 3 or 5 in PC12 cells (o-AQP-c) prevented the HIF-2α down-expression otherwise observed, after 16h at 1% O2, in wt-PC12 and in PC12 overexpressing non-AQP proteins. Longer HIF-2α stability was also observed in o-AQP-c exposed to cobalt chloride or dimethyloxallyl glycine. Normal proteasome activity was confirmed in all clones analyzed. Levels of HIF target genes (PHD2 and 3, VEGF, and PGK1) were 2-4 fold higher in hypoxic o-AQP-c than in wt-PC12 cells, and morphological changes in colony shape together with higher cell proliferation rates were observed in all o-AQP-c. Interestingly, analysis of PHD levels under normoxia revealed lower (50%) PHD3 expression in o-AQP-c than in controls. Our results indicate that AQP overexpression in PC12 cells prolongs HIF-2α stability during chronic hypoxia, leading to higher level of induction of its target genes and likely conferring to these cells a more tumor-like phenotype. © 2013 Elsevier B.V., This work was funded by grants from the “Instituto de Salud Carlos III” PS09/00605, and by grants from “La Junta de Andalucía”, Consejería de Salud (PI0298-2010) and Consejería de Innovación Ciencia y Empresa (P08-CTS-03574). AGC was supported by a predoctoral fellowship from “Junta de Andalucía, Consejería de Innovación Ciencia y Empresa”, Spain and IAR was supported by a predoctoral fellowship from Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation.

Aquaporins (AQPs) are membrane channels that conduct water and small solutes such as glycerol and are involved in many physiological functions. Aquaporin-based modulator drugs are predicted to be of broad potential utility in the treatment of several diseases. Until today few AQP inhibitors have been described as suitable candidates for clinical development. Here we report on the potent inhibition of AQP3 channels by gold(III) complexes screened on human red blood cells (hRBC) and AQP3-transfected PC12 cells by a stopped-flow method. Among the various metal compounds tested, Auphen is the most active on AQP3 (IC 50 = 0.8±0.08 μM in hRBC). Interestingly, the compound poorly affects the water permeability of AQP1. The mechanism of gold inhibition is related to the ability of Au(III) to interact with sulphydryls groups of proteins such as the thiolates of cysteine residues. Additional DFT and modeling studies on possible gold compound/AQP adducts provide a tentative description of the system at a molecular level. The mapping of the periplasmic surface of an homology model of human AQP3 evidenced the thiol group of Cys40 as a likely candidate for binding to gold(III) complexes. Moreover, the investigation of non-covalent binding of Au complexes by docking approaches revealed their preferential binding to AQP3 with respect to AQP1. The high selectivity and low concentration dependent inhibitory effect of Auphen (in the nanomolar range) together with its high water solubility makes the compound a suitable drug lead for future in vivo studies. These results may present novel metal-based scaffolds for AQP drug development. © 2012 Martins et al., This work was supported from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal, through a Ph.D. fellowship to APM (SFRH/BD/65046/2009). A. Casini thanks the University of Groningen (Rosalind Franklin fellowship). The authors thank COST CM0902 for financial support. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.