Physiological leukocytosis during pregnancy is associated with changes in glucose transporter expression of maternal peripheral blood granulocytes and monocytes.
OBJECTIVE
The scarce data on glucose transporter expression of leukocytes are contradictory and nothing is known about changes accompanying physiological leukocytosis during pregnancy, which imposes acute metabolic demands on the cells.


METHODS
Cytospin preparations of intravascular leukocytes were searched immunocytochemically for the high affinity glucose transporters GLUT1, 3 and 4. Pregnancy-associated quantitative changes in transporter expression were assessed by flow cytometry.


RESULTS
Granulocytes and monocytes stained for GLUT1, 3 and 4. Major changes in cell surface transporter expression during pregnancy were a 36% (P < 0.05) down-regulation of granulocyte GLUT1 at term, and an increase in monocyte GLUT3 levels to 137% (P < 0.05), paralleled by a 24% (P < 0.05) decrease in GLUT4 content in second trimester. Apart from a minor subpopulation, lymphocytes were negative for these carriers.


CONCLUSIONS
GLUT1, 3 and 4 are abundantly expressed in granulocytes and monocytes. The particular isoforms are differentially regulated during pregnancy, suggesting an individual functional significance.
Korgun
Emin T
ET
Demir
Ramazan
R
Sedlmayr
Peter
P
Desoye
Gernot
G
Arikan
Guerkan
G
Puerstner
Peter
P
Haeusler
Martin
M
Dohr
Gottfried
G
Skofitsch
Gerhard
G
Hahn
Tom
T
D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D051272:Glucose Transporter Type 1; D051273:Glucose Transporter Type 2; D051274:Glucose Transporter Type 3; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011247:Pregnancy
D051272:Glucose Transporter Type 1; D051273:Glucose Transporter Type 2; 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; D005947:Glucose