Following chorda tympani denervation (CTD, parasympathetomy), the protein levels of aquaporin5 (AQP5) as well as AQP1 and Na+K +ATPase α-subunit in the rat submandibular gland (SMG) were found to be decreased significantly. However, the level of another membrane protein, dipeptidyl peptidase IV was not affected by CTD, suggesting a selective reduction of AQP5, AQP1, and Na+K+ATPase α-subunit proteins by CTD. However, the AQP5 mRNA level was scarcely affected by CTD, which suggested that transcription process of AQP5 was unaffected by this operation. AQP5 protein was shown to be degraded in vitro by the extract of the SMG obtained from normal rat
inhibitor experiments in vitro suggested cathepsin B was a responsible enzyme. Co-localization of AQP5 and LAMP-2, a lysosomal marker, implicated AQP5 is degraded in lysosomes. A significant increase in the protein levels of LC3-II, an autophagy marker, at day 1 after CTD, and co-localization of the LC3 protein and AQP5, suggested that CTD activated autophagy of SMG, leading to AQP5 degradation.