New publication from the Brain Molecular Imaging team
Edema is a hallmark of various brain disorders including stroke. Edema is an accumulation of water due to a dysregulation of the osmotic homeostasis and contributes to aggravation and secondary injuries. Aquaporin 4 (AQP4), a water channel, has been proposed to be key player in the edema process. However, the role of AQP4 in edema formation remains unclear with conflicting results. Our new study, published in Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism (JCBFM) showed that the absence of AQP4 is associated with a better longterm cognitive outcome associated with reduced neuroinflammation, but without a direct effect on edema (Hirt et al., 2016). A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms linking astrocytic AQP4 and neuroinflammation is needed for the future.
Hirt L, Fukuda AM, Ambadipudi K, Rashid F, Binder D, Verkman A, Ashwal S, Obenaus A, Badaut J. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2016 Jan 14 “Improved long-term outcome after transient cerebral ischemia in aquaporin-4 knockout mice”
