Skeletal muscle regeneration may be enhanced by overexpression of aquaporin 1 in intramuscular capillary endothelial cells

Abstract

The article introduces the hypothesis that aquaporin 1 of intramuscular capillary endothelial cells may enhance the capability of the skeletal myofiber regeneration. Evidence for the hypothesis is based on the indication obtained from our previous muscle xenograft study into athymic nude mice, and the indications proposed by other investigators. (1) The transplanted human muscle xenografts contained the highly vascularized peripheral portions where the active regenerating myotubes were observed; while the central portions of the transplanted xenografts contained few capillaries and scarce regenerating myotubes. (2) Capillary endothelial cells in endomysium contained aquaporin 1 molecule at their cell membranes. (3) Aquaporin 1 molecule is proposed to function in cell migration, which is central to diverse biological phenomena including angiogenesis, wound healing, organ regeneration and tumor growth and spread. Based on these indications the skeletal muscle regeneration may be enhanced by aquaporin 1 of intramuscular capillary endothelial cells. If verified, this new concept may lead to novel pharmaceutical or genetic approaches to the new treatments of intractable muscle diseases.