Aquaporin 3 is induced in rat alveolar epithelium after birth

Abstract

Aquaporin (AQP) is the water channel protein associated with water-permeability, in which AQP1, AQP3, AQP4, and AQP5, are expressed in respiratory organs. Because water filling the fetal lung has to be absorbed after birth, aquaporins are postulated to contribute to this water reabsorption. To examine the potential role of AQP3 around birth, we studied mRNA expression and localization of AQP3 in fetal and postnatal rat lung. AQP3 mRNA was most prominently expressed in rat lung on the day of birth, began to decrease on the 2nd day after birth, and was not observed on the 4th day and later. In situ hybridization demonstrated that AQP3 mRNA was expressed in alveolar epithelium. The expression of AQP3 mRNA may influence water reabsorption of the perinatal rat lung.