Abstract: ObjectiveTo explore the route of arsenite biotransportation into gastrointestinal tissues in mice.MethodsAs(Ⅲ)of 10mg/kg was administered by gavage or in suit perfusion to male mice with or without Hg(Ⅱ)or glycerol, inhibitors of aquaglyceroporins(AQGPs).The concentrations of inorganic arsenic(iAs)in stomach body and jejunum were determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry(GFAAS).AQGPs(AQP3,7,9)mRNA expression levels were detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).ResultsiAs content in stomach(108.62± 6.72μg/g)was much higher than that in intestine(13.47±2.48μg/g,P<0.01)after As(Ⅲ)administration by gavage.The concentrations of iAs were significantly decreased after administration of As(Ⅲ)with AQGPs inhibitors(P<0.01).In stomach,the levels of iAs decreased to 72.05±7.98μg/g after Hg(Ⅱ)co-administration and to 88.57±9.34μg/g after glycerol co-administration.The corresponding iAs levels in intestine were 8.88±0.95μg/g and 8.06±1.20μg/g,respectively.Similar results were obtained in the experiment of in situ perfusion.Compared with the iAs level in As(Ⅲ)treated group(13.94±0.78μg/g),the iAs levels decreased significantly in Hg(Ⅱ)+As(Ⅲ)group(10.37±0.29μg/g),as well as in glycerol+As(Ⅲ)group(10.21±0.44μg/g,P<0.01).AQP3,7,9 mRNA were extensively expressed in gastrointestinal tissues.The expression level of AQP3 mRNA in stomach body was much higher than that in jejunum (P<0.05).ConclusionArsenite may be biotransported by AQGPs into murine gastrointestinal tissues.