Acetazolamide Inhibits Aquaporin-1 Expression and Colon Cancer Xenograft Tumor Growth

Background/Aims: To study the effects of water channel protein inhibitor acetazolamide on xenograft tumor growth of colon cancer in nude mice. Methodology: Setting up human colon cancer model in nude mice, mice were randomly divided into two groups as experimental group and control group. Acetazolamide was given at a volume of 0.1mL per mice (40mg/kg/d, ig) in experimental group, while the same volume of sterile saline was given in control group (ig). After 21 days, protein and m-RNA levels of AQP-1 in tumor tissues from two groups were detected respectively by Western blot and RT-PCR to evaluate the treatment effects. AQP-1, VEGF and CD34 expression was detected by immunohistochemistry, simultaneously. Results: Acetazolamide (40mg/kg/d, ig) significantly inhibited the xenograft tumor growth of colon cancer in nude mice. The inhibition rate was 88.28%. In comparison with the control group, AQP-1 protein and mRNA level were significantly reduced in the experimental group (p<0.01). AQP-1, VEGF and CD34 expression in experimental group were positively correlated between each other (p<0.01). Conclusions: Acetazolamide can suppress the xenograft tumor growth by inhibiting the expression of AQP-1.