Effect of Arsenate and p-Phenylenediamine on the Expression of Aquaporins in Cultured Human Urothelial Cells.

Background: Exposure to arsenic (As) or ‑phenylenediamine (PPD) can lead to dysfunction, or even cancer, in various types of organs, including the urinary bladder, yet the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Aquaporins (AQPs) are widely expressed small water channel proteins that provide the major route for the transport of water and other small molecules across plasma membranes in diverse cell types. Altered expression of AQPs has been associated with pathologies in all major organs, including the urinary bladder.