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AQUAPORIN 3 EXPRESSION INCREASES WITH GESTATIONAL AGE IN FETAL
PORCINE BLADDER
Karina TRELBORG, Lotte Kaasgaard JAKOBSEN, Rikke NØRREGAARD and L. Henning OLSEN
AARHUS UNIVERSITY, INSTITUTE FOR CLINICAL MEDICINE, Aarhus N, DENMARK
PURPOSE
The bladder is considered an organ for voiding and storage of urine, with the urothelium serving as an impermeable
barrier. Recent discovery of aquaporins in the bladder urothelium in rodents and later on also in humans, challenges this
notion of impermeability. Upregulation of aquaporins in response to dehydration or bladder outlet obstruction and
downregulation following transitional-cell-carcinoma has been shown. This emphasize the need to better understand the
function and development of aquaporins, as well as their role in bladder diseases. The present study aims at establishing
basic knowledge about the expression of aquaporin 3 (AQP3) in the fetal porcine bladder.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Three pregnant sows at 60, 80 or 100 days of gestation were sacrificed (full term: 110 days). Fetal bladders were
immediately removed and whole wall samples were snap frozen and stored at -80°C. Genetic gender determination was
performed and fetuses with uncertain gender determination were excluded. AQP3 mRNA expression was analyzed using
QPCR, beta-actin was used as the reference house keeping gene. Results were compared using two-way ANOVA.
RESULTS
A total of 41 samples were analyzed. Gestational age was either 60 (n=11), 80 (n=14) or 100 days (n=16). AQP3 was
expressed in all samples. AQP3 mRNA expression was increased in the fetal porcine bladder with increasing gestational
age (p<0,001). There was no significant difference in AQP3 expression between genders (p=0,71).
CONCLUSIONS
Expression of AQP3 in fetal porcine bladder is demonstrated with increasing expression during gestation. To our
knowledge aquaporins in the porcine bladder tissue have not previously been studied. This exciting new knowledge
contributes to the ongoing discussion on reviewing the dogma that the lower urinary tract has an impermeable barrier
function