Positive and negative regulation of water channel aquaporins in human small intestine by cholera toxin

Analysis of osmotic water permeability of aquaporin (AQP) 1, AQP3 and AQP4, which are expressed in human small intestine, in the presence or absence of cholera toxin (CT) was performed using a Xenopus oocyte expression system. When treated with CT, water permeability of AQP4 was facilitated while that of AQP3 was suppressed. AQP1 did not show any significant change of water permeability when treated with CT. An adenylyl cyclase accelerator forskolin showed similar effects as CT did, suggesting that changes of the water permeability of AQP4 and AQP3 were due to an increase of intracellular cAMP concentration. A possibility that these AQPs are responsible molecules for causing acute secretory diarrhoea as in cholera is considered.