• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.211-215
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• 2002

The baculovirus/Sf9 cell expression can be employed as a powerful system for producing large amounts of the human erythrocyte glucose transporter, GLUT1 heterologously In order to exploit the system further, it is necessary to develop a convenient method for demonstrating that the transporter expressed in insect cells is biologically active. To achieve this, we have expressed the human CLUT1 in insect cells and photolabelled the expressed protein with [$^3$H] cytochalasin B, a potent inhibitor of the human erythrocyte glucose transporter. Subsequently, the labelled proteins were analysed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Membranes labelled with [$^3$H] cytochalasln B in the presence of L-Glucose yielded a single sharp peak of labelling of apparent $M_r$ 45,000 on SDS/polyacrylamide gels. The mobility of this peak corresponded exactly to that of the band detected by anti-glucose transporter antibodies on Western blots of membranes prepared from insect cells infected with recombinant virus. In addition, the sharpness of the radioactive peak provides further evidence for the conclusion that the expressed protein is much less heavily and heterogeneously glycosylated than its erythrocyte counterpart. No peak of labelling was seen with the membranes prepared from non-infected Sf9 cells. Furthermore, the incorporation of label into this peak was completely inhibited by the presence of 500 mM-D-Glucose during tile photolabelling procedure, showing the stereoselectivity of the labelling. These evidences clearly show that human glucose transporter expressed in insect cells exhibits native-like biological activity, and that photolabelling with [$^3$H] cytochalasin B can be a convenient means for analysing the biological activity of the transport protein expressed in insect cells.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.57-61
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• 2005

The number of sites at which a protein can be readily cleaved by a proteolytic enzyme is greatly influenced by its three-dimensional structure. For native, properly-folded proteins both the rate of cleavage and number of sites at which cleavage takes place are usually much less than for the denatured protein. In order to compare the tertiary structure of recombinant HepG2 type glucose transporter with that of its native counterpart in the erythrocyte, the pattern of tryptic cleavage of the protein expressed in insect cell membranes was therefore examined. After 30 minutes digestion, a fragment of approximate Mr 19,000-21,000 was generated. In addition to this, there were two less intensely stained fragments of apparent Mr 28,000 and 17,000. The pattern of labelling was similar up to 2 hours of digestion. However, the fragments of Mr 19,000-21,000 and Mr 17,000 were no longer detectable after 4 hours digestion. The observation of a very similar pattern of fragments yielded by tryptic digestion of the HepG2 type transporter expressed in insect cells suggests that the recombinant protein exhibits a tertiary structure similar if not identical to that of its human counterpart. Also, the endogenous sugar transporter(s) present in Sf21 cells did not bind cytochalasin B, the potent transporter inhibitor. Therefore, the baculovirus/Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf) cell expression system could be very useful for production of large amounts of human glucose transporters, heterologously.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.115-123
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• 1991

Molecular association of glucose transporters with the other proteins in the plasma membrane was assessed by gel electrophoresis and immunoblot techniques. Approximately $31.5{\pm}5.1%$ of GLUT-4, $64.8{\pm}2.7%$ of clathrin, 48.7% of total protein in the plasma membrane (PM) were found insoluble upon extraction with 1% Tx-100. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed that the Tx-100 insoluble PM fraction contained about 4 major polypeptides with apparent molecular weight of above 200, 100-120, 80 and 30-35 KDa that were readily removed upon wash with a high pH buffer which is known to remove clathrin and 0.5 M Tris-buffer which is known to remove assembly proteins (AP). Immunoblotting of GLUT4 and clathrin against specific antibodies showed that GLUT-4 and clathrin were co-solubilized up to 84.6% and 82.7% respectively by wash with a high pH buffer and 1% Tx-100. When the membrane was pre-washed with a high pH buffer and 0.5 M Tris solution, GLUT4 and clathrin were not solubilized further suggesting that GLUT4 molecules are in molecular association with clathrin, AP and/or other extrinsic membrane proteins in plasma membrane and the formation of clathrin-coated structures might be involved in insulin stimulated glucose transporter translocation mechanism.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.205-212
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• 1998

A sodium-independent facilitative glucose transporter 1 (Glut1) is a major route by which glucose can be transported across the plasma membrane of mouse embryo. Although it has been known that insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) promotes glucose transport into the mouse embryo, whether IGF-I directly regulates transcription of Glut1 has been uncovered in mouse preimplantation embryo. This study was aimed to elucidate the role of glucose and IGF-I in development and Glut1 expression in preimplantation mouse embryo. Two-cell embryos developed in blastocyst regardless of the glucose in the presence of pyruvate. IGF-I significantly increased the number of blastomeres in the mid-blastula. Deprivation of glucose did not affect the amount of Glut1 transcripts in morula cultured from 2-cell embryo. IGF-I potentiated Glut1 expression in morula cultured from 2-cell embryo even in the absence of glucose. Taken together, it is concluded that depletion of glucose does not promote Glut1 expression the in morula cultured form 2-cell embryo, and that increment of Glut1 expression possibly mediates embryotropic effect of IGF-I on preimplantation mouse embryo.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.77-86
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• 1998

The uptake of glucose for metabolism and growth is essential to most animal cells and is mediated by glucose-transporter (GLUT) proteins. The aim of this study was to determine which class of glucose transporter molecules was responsible for uptake of glucose in the mouse early embryo and at which stage the corresponding genes were expressed. In addition, co-culture system with vero cell was used to investigate the effect of the system on GLUT expression. Two-cell stage embryos were collected from the superovulated ICR female and divided into 3 groups. As a control, embryos were cultured in 0.4% BSA-T6 medium which includes glucose. For the experimental groups, embryos were cultured in either co-culture system with vero cells or glucose-free T6 medium supplemented with 0.4% BSA and pyruvate as an energy substrate. 2-cell to blastocyst stage embryos in those groups were respectively collected into microtubes (50 embryos/tube). Total RNA was extracted and RT-PCR was performed. The products were analysed after staining ethidium bromide by 2% agarose gel electrophoresis. Blastocysts were collected from each group at l20hr after hCG injection. They were fixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde, stained with hoechst, and mounted for observation. In control, GLUT1 was expressed from 4-cell to blastocyst. GLUT2 and GLUT3 were expressed in morula and blastocyst. GLUT4 was expressed in all stages. When embryos were cultured in glucose-free medium, no significant difference was shown in the expression of GLUT1, 2 and 3, compared to control. However GLUT4 was not expressed until morular stage. When embryos were co-cultured with vero cell, there was no significant difference in the expression of GLUT1, 2, 3 and 4 compared to control. To determine cell growth of embryos, the average cell number of blastocyst was counted. The cell number of co-culture ($93.8{\pm}3.1$, n=35) is significantly higher than that of control and glucose-free group ($76.6{\pm}3.8$, n=35 and $68.2{\pm}4.3$, n=30). This study shows that the GLUT genes are expressed differently according to embryo stage. GLUTs were detectable throughout mouse preimplantation development in control and co-culture groups. However, GLUT4 was not detected from 2- to 8-cell stage but detected from morula stage in glucose-free medium, suggested that GLUT genes are expressed autocrinally in the embryo regardless of the presence of glucose as an energy substrate. In addition, co-culture system can increase the cell count of blastocyst but not improve the expression of GLUT. In conclusion, expression of GLUT is dependent on embryo stage in preimplantation embryo development.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.818-826
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• 1999

Antidiabetic activity and mechanism of Sangbackpitang (SBPT) was examined in db/db mice, which is a spontaneously hyperglycemic, hyperinsulinemic and obese animal model. SBPT and acarbose were administered orally for 4 weeks. Fasting and non-fasting serum glucose, glycated hemoglobin and triglyceride were all reduced when compared between db/db control group and SBPT treated group. At 12th week after birth, SBPT increased an insulin secretion although statistic significance was not seen. Total activities of sucrase, maltase and lactase in SBPT treated group were all decreased when compared to db/db control. On the other hand, sucrase and maltase activities in acarbose treated groups were increased. Effect of SBPT on mRNA expression of glucose transporter(GLUT-4) was also examined. Quantitation of glucose transporter was performed by RT-PCR and in vitro transcription with co-amplification of rat-action gene as an internal standard. Muscular GLUT-4 mRNA expression in SBPT treated group was increased significantly. These results may suggest that SBPT lowered blood glucose ascribing to inhibition of glycosidase-catalyzed reaction and upregulation of muscular GLUT-4 mRNA expression.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.119-122
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• 2008

The baculovirus/insect cell expression system is of great value in the study of structure-function relationships in mammalian glucose-transport proteins by site-directed mutagenesis and for the large-scale production of these proteins for mechanistic and biochemical studies. In order to exploit this, the effects of substitution at the highly conserved residue glutamine 282 of the human erythrocyte-type glucose transporter have been examined by in vitro site-directed mutagenesis. The modified human transport protein has been expressed in Spodoptera frugiperda 21 cells by using the recombinant baculovirus AcNPV-GTL. To assess the functional integrity of the expressed transporter, measurements of the transport inhibitor cytochalasin B binding were performed, involving the membranes prepared from 4 days post infection with no virus, with wild-type virus or AcNPV-GTL virus. Data obtained showed that there was little or no D-glucose-inhibitable binding in cells infected with the wild type or no virus. Only the recombinant virus infected cells exhibited specific binding, which is inhibitable by D- but not by L-glucose. However, there was a notable reduction in the affinity for the potent inhibitor cytochalasin B when binding measurements of AcNPV-GTL were compared with those of AcNPV-GT, which has no substitution. It is thus suggested that although the modified and unmodified human transporters differed slightly in their affinity for cytochalasin B, the glutamine substitution did not interfere the heterologous expression of the human transporter in the insect cells.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.335-341
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• 1999

Antidiabetic activity and mechanism of Supungsungihyan(SPSGH) were examined in db/db mice, which is a spontaneously hyperglycemic, hyperinsulinemic and obese animal model. SPSGH and acarbose were administered orally for 4 weeks. Fasting and non-fasting serum glucose, glycated hemoglobin and trig-lyceride of SPSGH treated group were all reduced when compared with those of db/db control group. At 12th week after birth, SPSGH increased an insulin secretion although statistic significance was not seen. Total activities of sucrose, maltase and lactase in SPSGH treated group were not significantly different from those in db/db control. On the other hand, sucrase and maltase activities in acarbose treated groups were increased. Effect of SPSGH on mRNA expression of glucose transporter(GLUT-4) was also examined by RT-PCR and in vitro transcription with co-amplification of rat $\beta$-actin gene as an internal standard. Muscular GLUT-4 mRNA expression in SPSGH treated group was increased significantly. These results may suggest that SPSGH lowered blood glucose ascribing to upregulation of muscular GLUT-4 mRNA expression.

• Proceedings of the Korea Environmental Mutagen Society Conference
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• 2004.05a
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• pp.63-63
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• 2004

• BMB Reports
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.132-137
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• 2017

Elevated glucose levels in cancer cells can be attributed to increased levels of glucose transporter (GLUT) proteins. Glut1 expression is increased in human malignant cells. To investigate alternative roles of Glut1 in breast cancer, we silenced Glut1 in triple-negative breast-cancer cell lines using a short hairpin RNA (shRNA) system. Glut1 silencing was verified by Western blotting and qRT-PCR. Knockdown of Glut1 resulted in decreased cell proliferation, glucose uptake, migration, and invasion through modulation of the EGFR/MAPK signaling pathway and integrin ${\beta}1$/Src/FAK signaling pathways. These results suggest that Glut1 not only plays a role as a glucose transporter, but also acts as a regulator of signaling cascades in the tumorigenesis of breast cancer.