RESUMEN
AIM: To investigate the effects of glioma cells on aquaporin expression in blood-brain barrier and their importance in pathophysiology. METHODS: A blood-brain barrier model was established by coculture of ECV304 and astrocytes in vitro . HPLC was used to determine the change of water transport of in vitro blood-brain barrier model after the influence of glioma cells. The expression levels of AQP1 and AQP4 were analyzed by semiquatitative RT-PCR. RESULTS: Glioma cells decreased expression level of AQP4 of astrocytes and induced abnormal expression of aquaporin-1 in endothelial cell line. The water transport of in vitro blood-brain barrier model from luminal side to abluminal side was increased after coculture with glioma cells. CONCLUSION: The vasogenic brain edema induced by glioma cells may not be the result of hyperpermeability of blood-brain barrier to macromolecules in plasma. The changes of aquaporin expression may be the molecular basis of brain edema induced by glioma cells.