GLUT-1 expression in bovine retinal capillary endothelial cells and pericytes exposed to advanced glycation end products.

Objective: Glucose uptake and glucose transporter GLUT-1 expressions are characteristic of retinal capillary endothelial cells and pericytes in response to high glucose. In this study, the effects of advanced glycation end product (AGE-BSA) exposure on these parameters were tested.

Methods: Primary cultures of bovine retinal capillary endothelial cells (BRECs) and bovine retinal capillary pericytes (BRPs) were exposed to AGE-BSA (100 μg/mL) for 6 days. Glucose uptake was measured using U (14)C-glucose and the GLUT-1 mRNA expression by RT-PCR. GLUT-1 protein was detected by immunofluorescence and subjected to FACS analysis.

Results: The authors observed that there was no significant decrease in the GLUT-1 protein expression, and this was confirmed by glucose uptake by (14)C-labeled glucose in both BRECs and BRPs. Even though there was a slight decrease in the mRNA expression of GLUT-1 in AGE-BSA-treated cells compared with both untreated control and BSA treated, the decrease was not significant.

Conclusions: This is the first report to show that there is no difference in glucose uptake in BRECs and BRPs on exposure to AGE-BSA.