AUTHOR=Charlestin Verodia , Fulkerson Daniel , Arias Matus Carlos E. , Walker Zachary T. , Carthy Kevin , Littlepage Laurie E. 

TITLE=Aquaporins: New players in breast cancer progression and treatment response

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2022.988119

DOI=10.3389/fonc.2022.988119

ISSN=2234-943X

ABSTRACT=Aquaporins (AQPs) are a family of small transmembrane proteins that selectively transport water and other small molecules and ions following an osmotic gradient across cell plasma membranes. Recent evidence supports key roles for AQPs in cell migration, adhesion, proliferation, and cancer progression through AQPs’ function in transport of water, glycerol, and other small molecules. In this review, we provide a general overview of AQP structure, function, and expression patterns. We then focus on the role of AQPs in breast cancer and in the tumor microenvironment. We also discuss how AQPs contribute to response to cancer treatment, existing AQP inhibitors, and how AQPs could serve as novel predictive biomarkers of therapy response in breast cancer.