title: GLUT-1 and GLUT-2 mRNA, protein, and glucose transporter activity in cultured fetal and adult hepatocytes.
abstract: To understand glycogenesis in the fetal hepatocyte, we examined glucose transport in cultured fetal and adult male rat hepatocytes. GLUT-1 mRNA was detected in fetal hepatocytes at isolation but in adult hepatocytes only after culture. GLUT-1 mRNA was more abundant in fetal than in adult hepatocytes (P < 0.005). GLUT-1 protein paralleled its message. GLUT-2 mRNA was more abundant in adult than in fetal hepatocytes (P < 0.05), and abundance did not change during culture, but GLUT-2 protein was discordantly regulated. There was more GLUT-2 protein in fetal hepatocytes at 45 h (P < 0.025). An Eadie-Hofstee plot of 3-O-methylglucose transport appeared to have two linear components. One component was presumed to be GLUT-1 [variable Michaelis constant (Km) approximating 6-8 mM, maximal uptake rate (Vmax) for fetal vs. adult hepatocytes 106 vs. 35 nmol.min-1.mg protein-1], and a second was presumed to be GLUT-2 (Km of 23 mM, Vmax for fetal vs. adult hepatocytes 198 vs. 92 nmol.min-1.mg protein-1). Early phosphorylation of 2-deoxyglucose was greater in fetal than in adult hepatocytes, but transport was always greater than phosphorylation. Increased expression of both GLUT-1 and GLUT-2 by fetal hepatocytes permits greater glucose uptake and positions the fetal rat hepatocyte for efficient glycogenesis at low plasma glucose concentration.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Endocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Levitsky
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mink
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Rhoads
mesh_terms: D019325:3-O-Methylglucose; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003847:Deoxyglucose / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism; D051272:Glucose Transporter Type 1; D051273:Glucose Transporter Type 2; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008757:Methylglucosides / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D051272:Glucose Transporter Type 1; D051273:Glucose Transporter Type 2; D008757:Methylglucosides; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C495679:Slc2a1 protein, rat; D019325:3-O-Methylglucose; D003847:Deoxyglucose