Aquaporin 1 confers apoptosis resistance in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells from the SU5416 hypoxia rat model

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) arises from increased pulmonary vascular resistance due to contraction and remodeling of the pulmonary arteries. The structural changes include thickening of the smooth muscle layer from increased proliferation and resistance to apoptosis. The mechanisms underlying apoptosis resistance in PH are not fully understood. In cancer cells, high expression of aquaporin 1 (AQP1), a water channel, is associated with apoptosis resistance. We showed AQP1 protein was expressed in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) and upregulated in preclinical PH models. In this study, we used PASMCs isolated from control male rats and the SU5416 plus hypoxia (SuHx) model to test the role of AQP1 in modulating susceptibility to apoptosis. We found the elevated level of AQP1 in PASMCs from SuHx rats was necessary for resistance to apoptosis and that apoptosis resistance could be conferred by increasing AQP1 in control PASMCs. In exploring the downstream pathways involved, we found AQP1 levels influence the expression of Bcl-2, with enhanced AQP1 levels corresponding to increased Bcl-2 expression, reducing the ratio of BAX to Bcl-2, consistent with apoptosis resistance. These results provide a mechanism by which AQP1 can regulate PASMC fate.