Role of liver-type glucose transporter (GLUT2) in transport across the basolateral membrane in rat jejunum

Abstract

To obtain information on the regulation of glucose transport across the basolateral membrane (BLM) of intestinal epithelial cells, we measured the number of [3H]cytochalasin B binding sites and the level of liver-type glucose transporter (GLUT2) protein in the BLM in the jejunum of rats (i) with diabetes (ii) given a high-carbohydrate diet or (iii) with experimental hyperglycemia (12 h infusion of a high-glucose solution). A glucose uptake and the number of D-glucose inhibitable [3H]cytochalasin B binding sites in BLM vesicles were significantly increased in all three conditions. Western blot analysis showed that the amount of GLUT2 protein in BLM vesicles was increased in rats with diabetes and those given a high-carbohydrate diet, but not in those with experimental hyperglycemia. These results suggest that there is a mechanism for rapid regulation of glucose transport in the BLM that does not depend on change in the amount of GLUT2.