Here we have explored, in young and aged mice exposed to hypoxia, whether aquaporin-4 and aquaporin-1 participate in the development of age-related hydrocephalus.
With advancing hydrocephalus, expression of AQPs 1 and 4 increased at the brain-CSF interfaces; AQP1 was localized to the endothelium of cortical capillaries with increased AQP4 expression in surrounding astrocytes end feet.
The reduced ventricular size in AQP1-deficient mice following kaolin-induced hydrocephalus suggests AQP1 inhibition or down-regulation as a potential adjunctive treatment for hydrocephalus.