Insulin stimulated-glucose transporter Glut 4 is expressed in the retina

• Published in: PloS one 2012-12, Vol.7 (12), p.e52959
• Main Authors: Sánchez-Chávez, Gustavo, Peña-Rangel, Ma Teresa, Riesgo-Escovar, Juan R, Martínez-Martínez, Alejandro, Salceda, Rocío
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 1-Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; AKT protein; Animals; Apoptosis; Binding sites; Biology; Brain research; Cell surface; Cytochalasin B - metabolism; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - chemically induced; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - genetics; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - metabolism; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - pathology; DNA-Binding Proteins - genetics; DNA-Binding Proteins - metabolism; Gene Expression Regulation - drug effects; Glucose; Glucose - pharmacokinetics; Glucose metabolism; Glucose transport; Glucose transporter; Growth factors; Hypoglycemia; Immunohistochemistry; Immunoprecipitation; Inositol; Insulin; Insulin - pharmacology; Laboratory animals; Medicine; Membranes; Metabolism; Neurophysiology; Oncogene Protein v-akt - metabolism; Oxygen; Phosphorylation; Phosphorylation - drug effects; Physiological aspects; Physiological effects; Protein Binding; Proteins; Rana pipiens; Rats; Rats, Long-Evans; Recruitment; Retina; Retina - drug effects; Retina - metabolism; Signal transduction; Signaling; Tissues; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism; Transporter; Trends; Type 1 diabetes
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0052959

The vertebrate retina is a very metabolically active tissue whose energy demands are normally met through the uptake of glucose and oxygen. Glucose metabolism in this tissue relies upon adequate glucose delivery from the systemic circulation. Therefore, glucose transport depends on the expression of glucose transporters. Here, we show retinal expression of the Glut 4 glucose transporter in frog and rat retinas. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization studies showed Glut 4 expression in the three nuclear layers of the retina: the photoreceptor, inner nuclear and ganglionar cell layers. In the rat retina immunoprecipitation and Western blot analysis revealed a protein with an apparent molecular mass of 45 kDa. ¹⁴C-glucose accumulation by isolated rat retinas was significantly enhanced by physiological concentrations of insulin, an effect blocked by inhibitors of phosphatidyl-inositol 3-kinase (PI3K), a key enzyme in the insulin-signaling pathway in other tissues. Also, we observed an increase in ³H-cytochalasin binding sites in the presence of insulin, suggesting an increase in transporter recruitment at the cell surface. Besides, insulin induced phosphorylation of Akt, an effect also blocked by PI3K inhibition. Expression of Glut 4 was not modified in retinas of a type 1 diabetic rat model. To our knowledge, our results provide the first evidence of Glut4 expression in the retina, suggesting it as an insulin- responsive tissue.