Peroxiporins in Cancer

The transport of H(2)O(2) across membranes by specific aquaporins (AQPs) has been considered the last milestone in the timeline of hydrogen peroxide discoveries in biochemistry. According to its concentration and localization, H(2)O(2) can be dangerous or acts as a signaling molecule in various cellular processes as either a paracrine (intercellular) and/or an autocrine (intracellular) signal. In this review, we investigate and critically examine the available information on AQP isoforms able to facilitate H(2)O(2) across biological membranes (“peroxiporins”), focusing in particular on their role in cancer. Moreover, the ability of natural compounds to modulate expression and/or activity of peroxiporins is schematically reported and discussed.