Aquaporin (AQP) and chloride channels are ubiquitous in virtually all living cells, playing pivotal roles in cell proliferation, migration and apoptosis. We previously reported that AQP-3 aquaglyceroporin and ClC-3 chloride channels could form complexes to regulate cell volume in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. In this study, the roles of AQP-3 in their hetero-complexes were further investigated. Glycerol entered the cells via AQP-3 and induced two different Cl(-) currents through cell swelling-dependent or -independent pathways. The swelling-dependent Cl(-) current was significantly inhibited by pretreatment with CuCl2 and AQP-3-siRNA. After siRNA-induced AQP-3 knock-down, the 140 mM glycerol isoosmotic solution swelled cells by 22% (45% in AQP-3-intact cells) and induced a smaller Cl(-) current; this current was smaller than that activated by 8% cell volume swelling, which induced by the 140 mM glycerol hyperosmotic solution in AQP-3-intact cells. This suggests that the interaction between AQP-3 and ClC-3 plays an important role in cell volume regulation and that AQP-3 may be a modulator that opens volume-regulated chloride channels. The swelling-independent Cl(-) current, which was activated by extracellular glycerol, was reduced by CuCl2 and AQP-3-siRNA pretreatment. Dialyzing glycerol into cells via the pipette directly induced the swelling-independent Cl(-) current; however this current was blocked by AQP-3 down-regulation, suggesting AQP-3 is essential for the opening of chloride channels. In conclusion, AQP-3 is the pathway for water, glycerol and other small solutes to enter cells, and it may be an essential modulator for the gating of chloride channels.
Keywords: AQP-3; Chloride channels; ClC-3; Glycerol; Protein–protein interaction.
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