Artificial Aquaporin That Restores Wound Healing of Impaired Cells

• Published in: Journal of the American Chemical Society Vol. 142; no. 37; pp. 15638 - 15643
• Main Authors: Yan, Zhao-Jun, Wang, Dongdong, Ye, Zhongju, Fan, Ting, Wu, Gang, Deng, Liyun, Yang, Lu, Li, Binxiao, Liu, Jianwei, Ma, Tonghui, Dong, Chaoqing, Li, Zhan-Ting, Xiao, Lehui, Wang, Yunfeng, Wang, Wenning, Hou, Jun-Li
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: WASHINGTON American Chemical Society 16.09.2020; Amer Chemical Soc
• Subjects: Aquaporins - chemistry; Aquaporins - pharmacology; Chemistry; Chemistry, Multidisciplinary; Hep G2 Cells; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells - drug effects; Humans; Models, Molecular; Molecular Dynamics Simulation; Molecular Structure; Physical Sciences; Science & Technology; Single Molecule Imaging; Wound Healing - drug effects; WATER CHANNELS; ION; TRANSMEMBRANE CHANNELS; TRANSPORT; SELECTIVITY
• ISSN: 0002-7863; 1520-5126
• DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c00601

Artificial aquaporins are synthetic molecules that mimic the structure and function of natural aquaporins (AQPs) in cell membranes. The development of artificial aquaporins would provide an alternative strategy for treatment of AQP-related diseases. In this report, an artificial aquaporin has been constructed from an amino-terminated tubular molecule, which operates in a unimolecular mechanism. The artificial channel can work in cell membranes with high water permeability and selectivity rivaling those of AQPs. Importantly, the channel can restore wound healing of the cells that contain function-lost AQPs.