title: Effect of glucose polymer on the intercellular junctions of cultured human peritoneal mesothelial cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Glucose polymer is an active osmotic agent that is increasingly used as an alternative to glucose in peritoneal dialysis fluids. It was recently reported that the duration of peritoneal dialysis can be extended by using glucose polymer in patients with poor ultrafiltration. We previously demonstrated that high glucose levels damage the intercellular junctions of cultured human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMC), but little is known about the influence of glucose polymer. Therefore, we investigated the effects of glucose polymer on the intercellular junctions of HPMC.
  
  
  METHODS
  HPMC were isolated, cultured, and identified according to the modified method of Stylianou. M199 medium was supplemented with peritoneal dialysis solutions containing 7.5% glucose polymer or 1.5, 2.5, and 4.25% glucose. After 6 h, cell viability was assessed, intercellular junction proteins were examined by immunofluorescence techniques, and the concentration of transforming growth factor-beta1 in the culture supernatant was determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Glucose significantly suppressed cell viability and significantly increased transforming growth factor-beta1 production when compared with control or glucose polymer cultures. Peritoneal dialysis solutions containing 4.25% glucose caused the detachment of HPMC. Immunofluorescence of intercellular junction proteins (tight junctions: ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-1; adherens junctions: beta-catenin) became weak and uneven after culture with glucose. On the other hand, glucose polymer caused little change in the immunofluorescence of these proteins when compared with control cultures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Glucose polymer seems to be less toxic to HPMC than glucose itself, suggesting that the glucose polymer may be better for peritoneal dialysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Internal Medicine, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Takafumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Noriaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yorioka
authors.forename: Yasufumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kyuden
authors.forename: Yukiteru
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Asakimori
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kiribayashi
authors.forename: Takahiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Nobuoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kohno
mesh_terms: D022005:Adherens Junctions / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D062445:Claudin-1; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015314:Dialysis Solutions / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D005936:Glucans / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005947:Glucose / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000187:drug effects*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D062793:Occludin; D009852:Omentum / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis / Q000379:methods; D010537:Peritoneum / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019108:Tight Junctions / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D062826:Zonula Occludens-1 Protein; D051176:beta Catenin
chemical_list: C568108:CLDN1 protein, human; C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D062445:Claudin-1; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D015314:Dialysis Solutions; D005936:Glucans; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C568985:OCLN protein, human; D062793:Occludin; D010750:Phosphoproteins; C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; C569042:TJP1 protein, human; D015534:Trans-Activators; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D062826:Zonula Occludens-1 Protein; D051176:beta Catenin; D005947:Glucose