Characterization and Modulation of Glucose Uptake in a Human Blood–Brain Barrier Model

• DOI: 10.1007/s00232-013-9583-2
• Publication Date: 2013-08-22T05:08:44Z
• Authors: Manuela Meireles; Fátima Martel; João Araújo; Celestino Santos-...; Susana Gonzalez-M...; Montserrat Dueñas; Victor de Freitas; Nuno Mateus; Conceição Calhau; Ana Faria
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; Arabidopsis Proteins; Health sciences, Medical and Health sciences; Sodium; Ciências médicas e da saúde; Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative; Gene Expression; Biological Transport; Deoxyglucose; Models, Biological; Catechin; Cell Line; 03 medical and health sciences; Adrenal Cortex Hormones; Blood-Brain Barrier; Medical and Health sciences; Humans; Ciências da Saúde, Ciências médicas e da saúde; Intramolecular Transferases; Gonadal Hormones; Signal Transduction

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) plays a key role in limiting and regulating glucose access to glial and neuronal cells. In this work glucose uptake on a human BBB cell model (the hCMEC/D3 cell line) was characterized. The influence of some hormones and diet components on glucose uptake was also studied. ³H-2-deoxy-D-glucose ([³H]-DG) uptake for hCMEC/D3 cells was evaluated in the presence or absence of tested compounds. [³H]-DG uptake was sodium- and energy-independent. [³H]-DG uptake was regulated by Ca²⁺ and calmodulin but not by MAPK kinase pathways. PKC, PKA and protein tyrosine kinase also seem to be involved in glucose uptake modulation. Progesterone and estrone were found to decrease ³H-DG uptake. Catechin and epicatechin did not have any effect, but their methylated metabolites increased [³H]-DG uptake. Quercetin and myricetin decreased [³H]-DG uptake, and glucuronic acid-conjugated quercetin did not have any effect. These cells expressed GLUT1, GLUT3 and SGLT1 mRNA.