Cerebrospinal Fluid Level of Aquaporin4: A New Window on Glymphatic System Involvement in Neurodegenerative Disease?

Article type: Short Communication

Authors: Arighi, Andrea^{a; b; c; *} | Di Cristofori, Andrea^d | Fenoglio, Chiara^{a; b; c} | Borsa, Stefano^e | D’Anca, Marianna^{a; b; c} | Fumagalli, Giorgio Giulio^{a; b; c; f} | Locatelli, Marco^{b; e} | Carrabba, Giorgio^e | Pietroboni, Anna Margherita^{a; b; c} | Ghezzi, Laura^{a; b; c} | Carandini, Tiziana^{a; b; c} | Colombi, Annalisa^{a; b; c} | Scarioni, Marta^{a; b; c} | De Riz, Milena Alessandra^{a; b; c} | Serpente, Maria^{a; b; c} | Rampini, Paolo Maria^e | Scarpini, Elio^{a; b; c} | Galimberti, Daniela^{a; c; g}

Affiliations: [a] Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, UOSD Neurologia – Malattie Neurodegenerative, Milan, Italy | [b] Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy | [c] Centro Dino Ferrari, Milan, Italy | [d] Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale – Monza, Ospedale San Gerardo, Monza, Italy – U.O. Neurochirurgia | [e] Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, UOC Neurochirurgia, Milan, Italy | [f] Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, Florence, Italy | [g] Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Andrea Arighi, MD, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via Francesco Sforza, Milan, Italy. Tel.: +39 02 55038710; E-mail: andrea.arighi@policlinico.mi.it.

Abstract:  Aquaporin4 (AQP4) is a water channel protein located at astrocyte foot processes that plays a role in glymphatic system, a highly organized fluid transport pathway which seems to be involved in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) pathophysiology. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) AQP4 levels were determined in 11 patients with AD, 10 patients with NPH, and 9 controls. We found significantly reduced AQP4 in AD patients, a trend in reduction in NPH patients, and a correlation between AQP4 and amyloid-β CSF levels. This study indicates the potential role of AQP4 and glymphatic system in neurodegenerative diseases pathophysiology.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, Aquaporin 4, glymphatic system, normal pressure hydrocephalus

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-190119

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 69, no. 3, pp. 663-669, 2019