title: Sustained hypoglycemia affects glucose transporter expression of human blood leukocytes.
abstract: The scarce data available on leukocyte glucose transporter expression are contradictory and nothing is known about its regulation by glycemic state. Therefore, cytospin preparations of blood leukocytes were searched immunocytochemically for the high-affinity glucose transporters GLUT1, 3, and 4. Hypoglycemia-associated quantitative changes in transporter expression were assessed by flow cytometry. Granulocytes and monocytes stained for GLUT1, 3, and 4. Granulocyte GLUT4 levels were increased by 73% (P < 0.05) under hypoglycemic conditions, which was paralleled by a reduction in GLUT1 and a rise in GLUT3. In monocytes, GLUT3 was elevated by 134% (P < 0.05), whereas GLUT1 and GLUT4 remained unaffected upon hypoglycemia. Apart from a minor subpopulation, lymphocytes were negative for these carriers. In conclusion, GLUT1, 3, and 4 are abundantly expressed in granulocytes and monocytes. The differential response of individual isoforms to hypoglycemia may represent a mechanism to protect the cells from the stress of glucose deprivation.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Histology and Embryology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: E T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Korgun
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Demir
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sedlmayr
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Desoye
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Arikan
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Puerstner
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haeusler
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dohr
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Skofitsch
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hahn
mesh_terms: D000220:Adaptation, Biological; D005260:Female; D051272:Glucose Transporter Type 1; D051274:Glucose Transporter Type 3; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D009000:Monocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins
chemical_list: D051272:Glucose Transporter Type 1; D051274:Glucose Transporter Type 3; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C495677:SLC2A1 protein, human; C495687:SLC2A3 protein, human; C495692:SLC2A4 protein, human