Skip to main page content
U.S. flag
See More

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Clinical Trial
. 2005 Jan;6(1):33-7.
doi: 10.1631/jzus.2005.B0033.

Increased expression of aquaporin-4 in human traumatic brain injury and brain tumors

Hua Hu  1 , Hong-tian Yao, Wei-ping Zhang, Lei Zhang, Wei Ding, Shi-hong Zhang, Zhong Chen, Er-qing Wei
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Increased expression of aquaporin-4 in human traumatic brain injury and brain tumors

Hua Hu et al. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B. 2005 Jan.

Abstract

Objective: To characterize the expression of aquaporin-4 (AQP4), one of the aquaporins (AQPs), in human brain specimens from patients with traumatic brain injury or brain tumors.

Methods: Nineteen human brain specimens were obtained from the patients with traumatic brain injury, brain tumors, benign meningioma or early stage hemorrhagic stroke. MRI or CT imaging was used to assess brain edema. Hematoxylin and eosin staining were used to evaluate cell damage. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the AQP4 expression.

Results: AQP4 expression was increased from 15 h to at least 8 d after injury. AQP4 immunoreactivity was strong around astrocytomas, ganglioglioma and metastatic adenocarcinoma. However, AQP4 immunoreactivity was only found in the centers of astrocytomas and ganglioglioma, but not in metastatic adenocarcinoma derived from lung.

Conclusion: AQP4 expression increases in human brains after traumatic brain injury, within brain-derived tumors, and around brain tumors.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
MRI or CT images and photomicrographs of representative samples. For a patient with benign meningioma (No. 1 in Table 1), MRI shows no brain edema around the tumor (a) and HE staining is normal adjacent to the tumor (b). For a patient with traumatic brain injury (No. 6 in Table 1), CT shows lesions that include edema (c) and HE staining demonstrates tissue injury (d). For a patient with astrocytoma (No. 13 in Table 1), MRI image (e) and HE staining (f) show the pathological changes of the tumor. The white arrows in (a), (c) and (e) indicate the analyzed using HE staining. Bars=50 μm
Fig. 1
Fig. 1
MRI or CT images and photomicrographs of representative samples. For a patient with benign meningioma (No. 1 in Table 1), MRI shows no brain edema around the tumor (a) and HE staining is normal adjacent to the tumor (b). For a patient with traumatic brain injury (No. 6 in Table 1), CT shows lesions that include edema (c) and HE staining demonstrates tissue injury (d). For a patient with astrocytoma (No. 13 in Table 1), MRI image (e) and HE staining (f) show the pathological changes of the tumor. The white arrows in (a), (c) and (e) indicate the analyzed using HE staining. Bars=50 μm
Fig. 1
Fig. 1
MRI or CT images and photomicrographs of representative samples. For a patient with benign meningioma (No. 1 in Table 1), MRI shows no brain edema around the tumor (a) and HE staining is normal adjacent to the tumor (b). For a patient with traumatic brain injury (No. 6 in Table 1), CT shows lesions that include edema (c) and HE staining demonstrates tissue injury (d). For a patient with astrocytoma (No. 13 in Table 1), MRI image (e) and HE staining (f) show the pathological changes of the tumor. The white arrows in (a), (c) and (e) indicate the analyzed using HE staining. Bars=50 μm
Fig. 1
Fig. 1
MRI or CT images and photomicrographs of representative samples. For a patient with benign meningioma (No. 1 in Table 1), MRI shows no brain edema around the tumor (a) and HE staining is normal adjacent to the tumor (b). For a patient with traumatic brain injury (No. 6 in Table 1), CT shows lesions that include edema (c) and HE staining demonstrates tissue injury (d). For a patient with astrocytoma (No. 13 in Table 1), MRI image (e) and HE staining (f) show the pathological changes of the tumor. The white arrows in (a), (c) and (e) indicate the analyzed using HE staining. Bars=50 μm
Fig. 1
Fig. 1
MRI or CT images and photomicrographs of representative samples. For a patient with benign meningioma (No. 1 in Table 1), MRI shows no brain edema around the tumor (a) and HE staining is normal adjacent to the tumor (b). For a patient with traumatic brain injury (No. 6 in Table 1), CT shows lesions that include edema (c) and HE staining demonstrates tissue injury (d). For a patient with astrocytoma (No. 13 in Table 1), MRI image (e) and HE staining (f) show the pathological changes of the tumor. The white arrows in (a), (c) and (e) indicate the analyzed using HE staining. Bars=50 μm
Fig. 1
Fig. 1
MRI or CT images and photomicrographs of representative samples. For a patient with benign meningioma (No. 1 in Table 1), MRI shows no brain edema around the tumor (a) and HE staining is normal adjacent to the tumor (b). For a patient with traumatic brain injury (No. 6 in Table 1), CT shows lesions that include edema (c) and HE staining demonstrates tissue injury (d). For a patient with astrocytoma (No. 13 in Table 1), MRI image (e) and HE staining (f) show the pathological changes of the tumor. The white arrows in (a), (c) and (e) indicate the analyzed using HE staining. Bars=50 μm
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Photomicrographs of AQP4 immunostaining in normal and traumatic brain tissues obtained from the cerebral cortex of a patient with benign meningioma (No. 1 in (a)) and five patients with traumatic brain injury (No. 3 in (b), No. 6 in (c), No. 7 in (d), No. 9 in (e) and No. 11 in (f)). AQP4 is expressed around the microvessels in cerebral tissue (a) suggested to be normal by MRI and HE staining (Fig.1). Six hours after brain injury, AQP4 expression does not change (b); 15 h after brain injury, expression increases (c); 24 h after injury, it peaks (d). Up to 3 (e) and 8 d (f) after injury, AQP4 is still expressed at higher levels. Bars=50 μm
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Photomicrographs of AQP4 immunostaining in normal and traumatic brain tissues obtained from the cerebral cortex of a patient with benign meningioma (No. 1 in (a)) and five patients with traumatic brain injury (No. 3 in (b), No. 6 in (c), No. 7 in (d), No. 9 in (e) and No. 11 in (f)). AQP4 is expressed around the microvessels in cerebral tissue (a) suggested to be normal by MRI and HE staining (Fig.1). Six hours after brain injury, AQP4 expression does not change (b); 15 h after brain injury, expression increases (c); 24 h after injury, it peaks (d). Up to 3 (e) and 8 d (f) after injury, AQP4 is still expressed at higher levels. Bars=50 μm
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Photomicrographs of AQP4 immunostaining in normal and traumatic brain tissues obtained from the cerebral cortex of a patient with benign meningioma (No. 1 in (a)) and five patients with traumatic brain injury (No. 3 in (b), No. 6 in (c), No. 7 in (d), No. 9 in (e) and No. 11 in (f)). AQP4 is expressed around the microvessels in cerebral tissue (a) suggested to be normal by MRI and HE staining (Fig.1). Six hours after brain injury, AQP4 expression does not change (b); 15 h after brain injury, expression increases (c); 24 h after injury, it peaks (d). Up to 3 (e) and 8 d (f) after injury, AQP4 is still expressed at higher levels. Bars=50 μm
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Photomicrographs of AQP4 immunostaining in normal and traumatic brain tissues obtained from the cerebral cortex of a patient with benign meningioma (No. 1 in (a)) and five patients with traumatic brain injury (No. 3 in (b), No. 6 in (c), No. 7 in (d), No. 9 in (e) and No. 11 in (f)). AQP4 is expressed around the microvessels in cerebral tissue (a) suggested to be normal by MRI and HE staining (Fig.1). Six hours after brain injury, AQP4 expression does not change (b); 15 h after brain injury, expression increases (c); 24 h after injury, it peaks (d). Up to 3 (e) and 8 d (f) after injury, AQP4 is still expressed at higher levels. Bars=50 μm
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Photomicrographs of AQP4 immunostaining in normal and traumatic brain tissues obtained from the cerebral cortex of a patient with benign meningioma (No. 1 in (a)) and five patients with traumatic brain injury (No. 3 in (b), No. 6 in (c), No. 7 in (d), No. 9 in (e) and No. 11 in (f)). AQP4 is expressed around the microvessels in cerebral tissue (a) suggested to be normal by MRI and HE staining (Fig.1). Six hours after brain injury, AQP4 expression does not change (b); 15 h after brain injury, expression increases (c); 24 h after injury, it peaks (d). Up to 3 (e) and 8 d (f) after injury, AQP4 is still expressed at higher levels. Bars=50 μm
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Photomicrographs of AQP4 immunostaining in normal and traumatic brain tissues obtained from the cerebral cortex of a patient with benign meningioma (No. 1 in (a)) and five patients with traumatic brain injury (No. 3 in (b), No. 6 in (c), No. 7 in (d), No. 9 in (e) and No. 11 in (f)). AQP4 is expressed around the microvessels in cerebral tissue (a) suggested to be normal by MRI and HE staining (Fig.1). Six hours after brain injury, AQP4 expression does not change (b); 15 h after brain injury, expression increases (c); 24 h after injury, it peaks (d). Up to 3 (e) and 8 d (f) after injury, AQP4 is still expressed at higher levels. Bars=50 μm
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Photomicrographs of AQP4 immunostaining in brains from patients with various brain tumors. The tissues were obtained from the cerebral cortex of three brain tumor patients (No. 13 in (a) and (b), No. 17 in (c) and (d), No. 18 in (e), (f) and (g)). AQP4 is highly expressed in central (a) and adjacent (b) regions of astrocytoma, ganglioglioma (c, d). In metastatic adenocarcinoma, AQP4 is highly expressed in the area adjacent to the tumor (e, f) but not in the center of the tumor (e, g). Bars=50 μm
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Photomicrographs of AQP4 immunostaining in brains from patients with various brain tumors. The tissues were obtained from the cerebral cortex of three brain tumor patients (No. 13 in (a) and (b), No. 17 in (c) and (d), No. 18 in (e), (f) and (g)). AQP4 is highly expressed in central (a) and adjacent (b) regions of astrocytoma, ganglioglioma (c, d). In metastatic adenocarcinoma, AQP4 is highly expressed in the area adjacent to the tumor (e, f) but not in the center of the tumor (e, g). Bars=50 μm
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Photomicrographs of AQP4 immunostaining in brains from patients with various brain tumors. The tissues were obtained from the cerebral cortex of three brain tumor patients (No. 13 in (a) and (b), No. 17 in (c) and (d), No. 18 in (e), (f) and (g)). AQP4 is highly expressed in central (a) and adjacent (b) regions of astrocytoma, ganglioglioma (c, d). In metastatic adenocarcinoma, AQP4 is highly expressed in the area adjacent to the tumor (e, f) but not in the center of the tumor (e, g). Bars=50 μm
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Photomicrographs of AQP4 immunostaining in brains from patients with various brain tumors. The tissues were obtained from the cerebral cortex of three brain tumor patients (No. 13 in (a) and (b), No. 17 in (c) and (d), No. 18 in (e), (f) and (g)). AQP4 is highly expressed in central (a) and adjacent (b) regions of astrocytoma, ganglioglioma (c, d). In metastatic adenocarcinoma, AQP4 is highly expressed in the area adjacent to the tumor (e, f) but not in the center of the tumor (e, g). Bars=50 μm
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Photomicrographs of AQP4 immunostaining in brains from patients with various brain tumors. The tissues were obtained from the cerebral cortex of three brain tumor patients (No. 13 in (a) and (b), No. 17 in (c) and (d), No. 18 in (e), (f) and (g)). AQP4 is highly expressed in central (a) and adjacent (b) regions of astrocytoma, ganglioglioma (c, d). In metastatic adenocarcinoma, AQP4 is highly expressed in the area adjacent to the tumor (e, f) but not in the center of the tumor (e, g). Bars=50 μm
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Photomicrographs of AQP4 immunostaining in brains from patients with various brain tumors. The tissues were obtained from the cerebral cortex of three brain tumor patients (No. 13 in (a) and (b), No. 17 in (c) and (d), No. 18 in (e), (f) and (g)). AQP4 is highly expressed in central (a) and adjacent (b) regions of astrocytoma, ganglioglioma (c, d). In metastatic adenocarcinoma, AQP4 is highly expressed in the area adjacent to the tumor (e, f) but not in the center of the tumor (e, g). Bars=50 μm
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Photomicrographs of AQP4 immunostaining in brains from patients with various brain tumors. The tissues were obtained from the cerebral cortex of three brain tumor patients (No. 13 in (a) and (b), No. 17 in (c) and (d), No. 18 in (e), (f) and (g)). AQP4 is highly expressed in central (a) and adjacent (b) regions of astrocytoma, ganglioglioma (c, d). In metastatic adenocarcinoma, AQP4 is highly expressed in the area adjacent to the tumor (e, f) but not in the center of the tumor (e, g). Bars=50 μm
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Aoki K, Uchihara T, Tsuchiya K, Nakamura A, Ikeda K, Wakayama Y. Enhanced expression of aquaporin-4 in human brain with infarction. Acta Neuropathol (Berl) 2003;106(2):121–124. - PubMed
    1. Denker BM, Smith BL, Kuhajda FP, Agre P. Identification, purification, and partial characterization of a novel Mr 28000 integral membrane protein from erythrocytes and renal tubules. J Biol Chem. 1988;263(30):15634–15642. - PubMed
    1. Leker RR, Shohami E. Cerebral ischemia and trauma-different etiologies yet similar mechanisms: neuroprotective opportunities. Brain Res Brain Res Rev. 2002;39(1):55–73. - PubMed
    1. Manley GT, Fujimura M, Ma T, Noshita N, Filiz F, Bollen AW, Chan P, Verkman AS. Aquaporin-4 deletion in mice reduces brain edema after acute water intoxication and ischemic stroke. Nat Med. 2000;6(2):159–163. - PubMed
    1. Nielsen S, Nagelhus EA, Amiry-Moghaddam M, Bourque C, Agre P, Ottersen OP. Specialized membrane domains for water transport in glial cells: high-resolution immunogold cytochemistry of aquaporin-4 in rat brain. J Neurosci. 1997;17(1):171–180. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types