Subcellular characterization of glucose uptake in coronary endothelial cells.

Despite all the evidence linking glucose toxicity to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, very little is known about the regulation of glucose uptake in endothelial cells. We have previously reported an asymmetric distribution of the GLUTs (1-5) and SGLT-1 in en face preparations of rat coronary artery endothelia [Gaudreault N., Scriven D.R., Moore E.D., 2004. Characterisation of glucose transporters in the intact coronary artery endothelium in rats: GLUT-2 upregulated by long-term hyperglycaemia. Diabetologia 47(12),2081-2092]. We assessed this time, through immunocytochemistry and wide field fluorescence microscopy coupled to deconvolution, the presence and subcellular distribution of glucose transporters in cultures of human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs). HCAECs express GLUT-1 to 5 and SGLT-1, but their subcellular distribution lacks the luminal/abluminal asymmetry and the proximity to cell-to-cell junctions observed in intact endothelium. To determine the impact of the transporters' distribution on intracellular glucose accumulation, a fluorescent glucose analog (2-NBDG) was used in conjunction with confocal microscopy to monitor uptake in individual cells; the arteries were mounted in an arteriograph chamber with physiological flow rates. The uptake in both preparations was inhibited by cytochalasin-B and d-glucose and stimulated by insulin, but the distribution of the incorporated 2-NBDG mirrored that of the transporters. In HCAEC it was distributed throughout the cell and in the intact arterial endothelium it was restricted to the narrow cytosolic volume adjacent to the cell-to-cell junctions. We suggest that the latter subcellular organization and compartmentalization may facilitate transendothelial transport of glucose in intact coronary artery.

Asymmetric subcellular distribution of glucose transporters in the endothelium of small contractile arteries.

The authors have recently reported the presence and asymmetric distribution of the glucose transporters GLUT-1 to -5 and SGLT-1 in the endothelium of rat coronary artery (Gaudreault et al. 2004, Diabetologica, 47, 2081-2092). In the present study the authors investigate and compare the presence and subcellular distribution of the classic glucose transporter isoforms in endothelial cells of cerebral, renal, and mesenteric arteries. The GLUTs and SGLT-1 were examined with immunohistochemistry and wide-field fluorescence microscopy coupled to deconvolution in en face preparation of intact artery. We identified GLUT-1 to -5 and SGLT-1 in the endothelial cells of all three vascular beds. The relative level of expression for each isoform was found comparable amongst arteries. Clusters of the glucose transporter isoforms were found at a high density in proximity to the cell-to-cell junctions. In addition, a consistent asymmetric distribution of GLUT-1 to -5 was found, predominantly located on the abluminal side of the endothelium in all three vascular beds examined (ranging from 68% to 91%, p<.05). The authors conclude that the expression and subcellular distribution of glucose transporters are similar in endothelial cells from vascular beds of comparable diameter and suggest that their subcellular organization may facilitate transendothelial transport of glucose in small contractile arteries.

Characterisation of glucose transporters in the intact coronary artery endothelium in rats: GLUT-2 upregulated by long-term hyperglycaemia.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: We have examined the effects of streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes on the expression and subcellular distribution of the classic sugar transporters (GLUT-1 to 5 and sodium-dependent glucose transporter-1 [SGLT-1]) in the endothelial cells of an en face preparation of septal coronary artery from Wistar rats. METHODS: The presence of the GLUT isoforms and SGLT-1 in the endothelial cell layer was determined by immunohistochemistry using wide-field fluorescence microscopy coupled to deconvolution, and was quantified by digital image analysis. RESULTS: We found that all of the transporters were expressed within these cells and that all except SGLT-1 were preferentially located on the abluminal side. The heaviest labelling was adjacent to the cell-to-cell junctions where the luminal and abluminal membranes are in close proximity, which may reflect a spatial organisation specialised for vectorial glucose transport across the thinnest part of the cytoplasm. Long-term hyperglycaemia, induced by streptozotocin, significantly downregulated GLUT-1, 3, 4 and 5 and dramatically upregulated GLUT-2, leaving SGLT-1 unchanged. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: We conclude that the high susceptibility of endothelial cells to glucose toxicity may be the result of the subcellular organisation of their GLUTs and the increased expression of GLUT-2.

Pressure-dependent myogenic constriction of cerebral arteries occurs independently of voltage-dependent activation.

Pressure-induced decreases in arterial diameter are accompanied by membrane depolarization and Ca(2+) entry via voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels. Recent evidence also suggests the involvement of Ca(2+) sensitization of the contractile proteins. Both PKC and Rho kinase are candidate second messengers for the mediation of the sensitization process. We investigated the signaling pathways of pressure-induced decreases in rat cerebral artery diameter in vessels that were depolarized with a 60 mM potassium-physiological salt solution (KPSS). Arteries were mounted on a pressure myograph, and pressure-induced constrictions were recorded. In some experiments simultaneous changes in intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) were recorded by using fura 2 fluorescence photometry. Pressure increases induced constriction with significant changes in [Ca(2+)](i) at high pressures (60-100 mmHg). The ratio of the change in diameter to change in [Ca(2+)](i) was greater for pressure-induced constriction compared with constriction produced by depolarization with 60 mM KPSS, suggesting that in addition to increases in [Ca(2+)](i), enhanced myofilament Ca(2+) sensitivity occurs during pressure-induced decreases in arterial diameter. Depolarizing the membrane with 60 mM KPSS increased [Ca(2+)](i) via a Ca(2+) influx pathway insensitive to PKC inhibition. Cerebral arteries were able to maintain their diameters in the continued presence of 60 mM KPSS. Pressure-induced constriction under these conditions was not associated with further increases in Ca(2+) but was abolished by selective inhibitors of PLC, PKC, and Rho kinase. We report for the first time that in rat cerebral arteries, pressure-induced decreases in arterial diameter are not only due to increases in voltage-gated Ca(2+) influx but also to accompanying increases in myofilament sensitivity to Ca(2+) mediated by PKC/Rho kinase activation.