Aquaporin expression in breast cancer and their involvement in bleb formation, cell motility and invasion in endocrine resistant variant cells.

Estrogen receptor (ER)‑silenced breast cancer cell lines exhibit endocrine resistance and morphological changes from an epithelial to a mesenchymal phenotype. These cells also display increased motility and invasive properties that are further accentuated by exposure to an alkaline pH, exhibiting dynamic plasma membrane blebbing and cytoplasmic streaming. These latter morphological changes are hypothesized to involve substantial water movement across the plasma membrane, contributing to bleb formation; this may involve aquaporin channel proteins (AQPs).