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REVIEW article

Front. Neurosci.
Sec. Neuropharmacology
Volume 19 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fnins.2025.1518967

Role of Aquaporins in Brain Water Transport and Edema

Provisionally accepted
Yuyuan Li Yuyuan Li 1Yining Wang Yining Wang 1Xingda Huang Xingda Huang 1Hao Zhang Hao Zhang 1Youfei Guan Youfei Guan 1*Xiaoyan Zhang Xiaoyan Zhang 2
  • 1 Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
  • 2 East China Normal University, Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Water serves as the primary substance in all living cells and is an essential molecule involved in numerous biological processes critical for maintaining homeostasis in the central nervous system (CNS). Disruptions in water balance can occur in conditions such as cerebral edema, where fluid accumulation results in increased intracranial pressure (ICP). Aquaporins (AQPs) are transmembrane proteins that play a vital role in the rapid transport of water across cell membranes. Various subtypes of AQPs (AQP1, AQP3, AQP4, AQP5, AQP6, AQP7, AQP8, AQP9, and AQP11) have been identified in brain tissue. This review summarizes the latest advancements in our understanding of the critical role of AQPs in regulating water transport in brain edema.Abundant evidence indicates that AQP4, the most prevalent AQP in the CNS, regulates brain water transport and contributes to both cytotoxic and vasogenic edema, suggesting that AQP4 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for brain edema.Additionally, some studies have indicated that AQP1 plays a significant role in the formation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and the maintenance of steady-state ICP.However, to date, these findings have not been translated into clinical practice. There is an urgent need to develop specific AQP inhibitors and activators to explore the potential benefits of modulating the functions of AQP1 and AQP4 in the context of brain edema.

    Keywords: Aquaporins, water channels, water transport, Brain Edema, cytotoxic, vasogenic, Hydrocephalus

    Received: 29 Oct 2024; Accepted: 13 Jan 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 Li, Wang, Huang, Zhang, Guan and Zhang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Youfei Guan, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.