AQP-4 in peritumoral edematous tissue is correlated with the degree of glioma and with expression of VEGF and HIF-alpha.

It is recognized that expression of AQP4 protein is much greater in gliomas than in normal tissue. The relationship between AQP4 and glioma-associated brain edema is affected by osmotic pressure and hypoxia. In this study, we detected changes of AQP4 expression in tumor and peritumoral edematous tissues to analyze the relationship between AQP4 protein and the edema index (EI).

[AQP4 expression in the brains of patients with glioblastoma and its association with brain edema].

Objective: To investigate the expression of aquaporin-4 (AQP4) in the brains of patients with glioblastoma and its association with brain edema.

Methods: Immunofluorescence cytochemistry and western blot tests were performed to detect the expression of AQP4 in the brain tumors and the adjacent tissues in 30 patients with glioblastoma. The association between AQP4 and the extent of brain edema was analysed.