Involvement of mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways in ferrous iron-induced aquaporin-4 expression in cultured astrocytes.

•Fe2+ has distinctive toxic effects and increases AQP4 expression in astrocytes.•Inhibiting oxidative stress reduces Fe2+-induced astrocyte death.•Inhibition of oxidative stress diminishes Fe2+-induced AQP4 upregulation.•Inhibiting MAPKs activation reduces Fe2+-induced astrocyte death.•Inhibition of MAPKs activation decreases Fe2+-induced AQP4 upregulation.