PubMed HealthSearch

Biomedical subjects

J L Lin

Publications and source records attributed to J L Lin.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Characterization of GLUT3 protein expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells.

We have expressed GLUT3 protein, an isoform of a facilitative glucose transporter, in Chinese hamster ovary cells by transfection of its cDNA using an expression vector. The expressed GLUT3 protein was detected by Western-blot analysis as a broad band of 45-65 kDa, indicating intensive glycosylation of the protein. The expressed GLUT3 protein was observed, by immunofluorescence staining, to be located mainly at the plasma membrane, and its expression was associated with a marked increase in glucose-transport activity. Kinetic analysis revealed that the Km value of GLUT3 protein for 3-O-methylglucose uptake was approx. 35% of that of GLUT1 protein, whereas the Km value of GLUT3 protein for 2-deoxy-D-glucose uptake was very similar to that of GLUT1 protein. The Vmax. value of GLUT3 protein for 3-O-methylglucose and 2-deoxyglucose uptake was approx. 20-50% of that of GLUT1 protein. GLUT3 protein was well photolabelled with [3H]cytochalasin B or a mannose derivative, 2-N-4-[3H](1-azi-2,2,2-trifluoroethyl)benzoyl-1,3-bis-(D-mannos -4-yloxy)-2- propylamine. Thus GLUT3 protein has very similar characteristics to GLUT1 protein including its subcellular localization, but exhibits lower Km and Vmax. values for 3-O-methylglucose uptake.

3-O-Methylglucose

Replacement of intracellular C-terminal domain of GLUT1 glucose transporter with that of GLUT2 increases Vmax and Km of transport activity.

The intracellular C-terminal domain is diverse in size and amino acid sequence among facilitative glucose transporter isoforms. The characteristics of glucose transport are also divergent, and GLUT2 has far higher Km and Vmax values compared with GLUT1. To investigate the role of the intracellular C-terminal domain in glucose transport, we expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells the mutated GLUT1 protein whose intracellular C-terminal domain was replaced with that of GLUT2 by means of engineering the chimeric cDNA. Cytochalasin B, for which GLUT2 protein has much lower affinity, bound to this chimeric protein in a fashion similar to GLUT1. In contrast, greater transport activity was observed in this chimeric glucose transporter compared with the wild-type GLUT1 at 10 mM 2-deoxy-D-glucose concentration. The kinetic studies on 2-deoxy-D-glucose uptake revealed a 3.8-fold increase in Km and a 4.3-fold increase in Vmax in this chimeric glucose transporter compared with the wild-type GLUT1. Thus, replacement of the intracellular C-terminal domain confers the GLUT2-like property on the glucose transporter. These results strongly suggest that the diversity of intracellular C-terminal domain contributes to the diversity of glucose transport characteristics among isoforms.

Amino Acid Sequence

Domains responsible for the differential targeting of glucose transporter isoforms.

Facilitative glucose transporter isoforms, GLUT1 and GLUT4, have different intracellular distributions despite their very similar structure. In insulin-responsive tissues such as adipose tissues and muscle, GLUT4 protein resides mainly in the intracellular region in a basal condition and is translocated to the plasma membrane upon stimulation of insulin. In contrast, GLUT1 protein was distributed about equally between plasma membranes and low density microsomal membranes in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Furthermore, GLUT1 and GLUT4 were reported to be differentially targeted to the plasma membrane and intracellular region, respectively, when expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells and HepG2 cells. To elucidate the differential intracellular targeting mechanisms, several chimeric glucose transporters in which portions of GLUT4 are replaced with corresponding portions of GLUT1 have been stably expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy as well as measurement of glucose transport activity revealed that two domains of GLUT4, which are not the NH2- or COOH-terminal domain, determine its targeting to the intracellular vesicles. The first domain contains the consensus sequence of the leucine zipper structure, suggesting that a dimer-forming structure of the glucose transporter might be required for its proper targeting. The other domain contains 28 amino acids, nine of which are different between GLUT1 and GLUT4. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed that the chimeric transporters containing both of these two domains of GLUT1, only the first domain of GLUT1, and none of the domains, exhibited a different cellular distribution with approximately 65, 30, and 15% of the transporters apparently on the plasma membrane, respectively. The addition of insulin did not alter the apparent cellular distributions of these chimeric transporters. These domains would be specifically recognized by intracellular targeting mechanisms in Chinese hamster ovary cells.

Animals

Reappraisal by transesophageal echocardiography of the significance of left atrial thrombi in the prediction of systemic arterial embolization in rheumatic mitral valve disease.

Systemic arterial embolization imparts a significant risk of serious complications throughout the lives of patients with rheumatic heart disease. Left atrial (LA) thrombi have been thought to be the major source of emboli. A transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) study of 260 consecutive patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease was performed during a period of 24 months, with particular reference to understanding the association between LA thrombi and embolic complications. Of these patients, 155 had predominant mitral stenosis, 24 had significant mitral regurgitation, and the remaining 81 with xenograft mitral valve replacement developed valvular dysfunction (25 resulted in predominant mitral stenosis and 56 in significant mitral regurgitation). LA thrombi were detected in 38 patients (group A) and absent in 222 (group B). Group A patients had a higher frequency of recent (less than or equal to 1 week before TEE study) and remote (greater than 1 week before) embolization than did group B patients (recent: 26.3 vs 5.4% [p less than 0.001]; remote: 18.4 vs 5.0% [p less than 0.01]). The frequency of atrial fibrillation was also greater in group A patients (100 vs 74.3%; p less than 0.001). The exclusion of patients with significant mitral regurgitation and sinus rhythm had no effect on the association between LA thrombi and evidence of previous embolization. It is concluded that TEE is a convenient diagnostic modality that can be used to identify a subset of patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease at high risk for systemic embolization. Consequently, preventive anticoagulation for possible embolic complications should be more vigorously adhered to in patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease and LA thrombi.

Echocardiography

Deletion of C-terminal 12 amino acids of GLUT1 protein does not abolish the transport activity.

We engineered the GLUT1 cDNA to delete C-terminal 12 amino acids of encoded GLUT1 protein. This mutated GLUT1 protein expressed in CHO cells by transfection of its cDNA was demonstrated to reside on the plasma membrane by cell surface labeling technique, and retain the transport activity, similar to that of the wild-type GLUT1. In addition, metabolic labeling of the intact cells with 35S indicated that the half-life of the mutated GLUT1 was not significantly different from that of the wild-type GLUT1. These results suggest that C-terminal 12 amino acids of GLUT1 are not important for the transport activity and the stability of the protein. Taken together with our previous results on the mutant without C-terminal 37 amino acids, the amino acids between the 37th and the 13th from the C-terminus appear to be essential for the transport activity.

Animals

Glucose binding enhances the papain susceptibility of the intracellular loop of the GLUT1 glucose transporter.

Digestion of human GLUT1 protein in erythrocytes with 5 micrograms/ml papain for 5 min yielded several fragments. By using several site-specific antibodies, two of these fragments containing the intracellular loop domain between M6 and M7 were demonstrated to be further digested by a prolonged incubation with papain. The addition of 0.2 M D-glucose enhanced this digestion between M6 and M7 by approximately 3.5-fold, while the addition of 0.2 M D-sorbitol exhibited no effects. These results strongly suggest that D-glucose binding induces the conformational change of the intracellular loop domain between M6 and M7 of GLUT1 protein. Since the homology of the amino acid sequence was low in this intracellular domain among the five facilitative glucose transporter isoforms, this intracellular loop might contribute to the difference in their Km and Vmax values for glucose uptake.

Erythrocyte Membrane

Two glucose transporter isoforms are sorted differentially and are expressed in distinct cellular compartments.

Rat GLUT4 (adipocyte/muscle-type glucose transporter) was expressed in two fibroblastic cell lines, Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and 3T3-L1 fibroblasts, under the control of the methallothionein I promoter. Although immunoblotting with a GLUT4-specific anti-peptide antibody demonstrated that the amount of GLUT4 expressed was comparable with that in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and rat adipose tissues, no increase in 2-deoxy-D-glucose uptake was observed in the basal state in fibroblasts. Immunocytochemical studies showed that the expressed GLUT4 appeared to be localized in a specific region in the cytoplasm. These results were in marked contrast to those obtained in CHO cells expressing GLUT1 (HepG2/erythrocyte-type glucose transporter) using the same expression vector. In this case the expressed GLUT1 protein appeared to reside mainly on the plasma membranes, and a significant increase in glucose uptake was observed. Although insulin increased glucose uptake in CHO cells and 3T3-L1 fibroblasts as well as in the cells expressing rat GLUT4, an increment due to insulin above basal values was small, at most 2-fold, and no significant differences were observed in insulin-stimulated glucose uptake between transfected and parental cells. In addition, no apparent differences in the subcellular distribution of expressed GLUT4 were observed between the insulin-stimulated and the basal state. These results indicate that in fibroblastic cell lines GLUT1 and GLUT4 proteins are sorted in a different fashion, and the expression of GLUT4 protein per se is not enough to produce a large insulin-induced increase in glucose transport activity such as that observed in rat adipocytes and 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Thus unidentified aspects of the cellular environment which are present in the adipocytes but not in fibroblastic cell lines may be required for a large insulin-induced increase in glucose transport activity to be observed.

Adipose Tissue

Disappearance of immune deposits with EDTA chelation therapy in a case of IgA nephropathy.

In this report, we describe the development of renal function impairment in a 33-year-old patient with mesangial IgA nephropathy and a history of recent gout. Increased body lead burden was identified with a positive EDTA mobilization test. The patient was treated with 1 g of edetate disodium calcium weekly for 2 months until normalization of urinary lead excretion. Improvement of renal function and proteinuria were noted. It was even more interesting to find that both immunofluorescence and electron microscopy studies of the second biopsy specimen revealed the loss of previous mesangial immune deposits. Our case demonstrated that lead may be a nonspecifically damaging factor related to the deterioration of renal function in patients with preexisting renal disease. Moreover, the disappearance of mesangial immune deposits after chelation therapy has not been previously documented. The pathogenetic basis of this observation is unknown, and its causal relationship with lead requires further elucidation.

Adult

Expression of glucose transporter isoforms with aging.

To elucidate the cellular mechanisms for impairment of glucose metabolism associated with aging, the facilitative glucose transporter protein and mRNA were studied in various tissues of young (7-week-old) and aged (20-month-old) rats. GLUT4 glucose transporter protein, a major glucose transporter isoform in the insulin-responsive tissues, was selectively decreased in the epididymal fat tissues of the aged rats compared with the young rats. This decrease is likely to be due to a decrease in protein synthesis rather than in protein stability, since GLUT4 mRNA per unit cellular total RNA was also decreased. GLUT4 mRNA in the skeletal muscle was rather increased in spite of the decreased level of GLUT4 protein in the aged rats, suggesting that the translational efficiency and/or stability of GLUT4 protein is decreased in the skeletal muscle of the aged rats compared with the young rats. In contrast to these alterations in GLUT4 expression, no apparent decrease in the GLUT1 protein amount was observed in the fat tissues, skeletal muscle and brain of the aged rats compared with the young rats. Thus, the tissue and isoform-specific alterations in glucose transporter expression are associated with aging and may contribute to impairment of glucose metabolism observed with aging.

Adipose Tissue

Upregulation of GLUT2 mRNA by glucose, mannose, and fructose in isolated rat hepatocytes.

Previously, demonstrated that GLUT2 mRNA and protein are increased in liver of streptozocin-induced diabetic rats. To examine the mechanisms whereby GLUT2 mRNA is regulated, we cultured isolated hepatocytes in the absence and presence of various concentrations of glucose. Culture of hepatocytes in high glucose concentration (27.8 mM) for 20 h induced a 3.2-fold increase in GLUT2 mRNA levels compared with hepatocytes cultured without D-glucose. Interestingly, D-mannose and D-fructose could substitute for D-glucose to elevate the GLUT2 mRNA level, whereas 3-O-methyl-D-glucose, 2-deoxy-D-glucose, and sucrose, which were not metabolized or taken up by the cells, were without effect. Insulin had no significant effect on GLUT2 mRNA levels in hepatocytes in the presence or absence of D-glucose. Therefore, the regulation of the GLUT2 gene by D-glucose in hepatocytes is contrary to that reported for GLUT1 and GLUT4 genes, which are downregulated by D-glucose. These results also suggest that the elevated GLUT2 mRNA level observed in diabetic rat liver is due to the high blood glucose concentration rather than to insulin deficiency.

3-O-Methylglucose

[Chronic chromate intoxication with renal tubular damage--report of a case].

A 46-year-old male chromium plating worker visited our hospital due to rhinorrhea, sneezing and cough with blood-tinged sputum for more than 10 years. He also had skin ulceration and chronic dermatitis on both hands Medical therapy was inefficient. Physical examinations revealed nasal septum perforation, severe inflammation of the nasopharynx cavity, and eczema of both hands. Laboratory investigations showed significant tubule proteinuria, enzymuria, hypercalciuria, etc. It is evident that renal tube damage was present in this patient. The blood chromium level was 25 ng/mL, and the 24-hour urine chromium excretion level was 2.8 mg/day. A pulmonary function test showed reduced functional residual capacity (FRC), which may be due to either long-term smoking or chromate acid exposure. To our knowledge this is the first case of renal tubal damage induced by chronic chromate intoxication Taiwan. Further evaluation of the occupational safety and health of chromium plating workers is needed on this island.

Chromates

Acute renal failure and severe thrombocytopenia induced by rifampicin: report of a case.

We report on a patient who developed life-threatening thrombocytopenia and acute renal failure after the reinstitution of rifampicin therapy for pulmonary tuberculosis. This combined reaction is rarely reported. Supportive treatment and withdrawal of rifampicin led to complete recovery. The increased incidence of drug-resistant tuberculosis and the need for the reintroduction of rifampicin therapy may lead to more such reactions being observed.

Acute Kidney Injury

[Continuous arteriovenous hemodialysis in critical patients with acute renal failure].

Continuous arteriovenous hemodialysis (CAVHD) offers a modified therapeutic approach for the patient with acute renal failure. The system is modified fron the CAVH write out method by adding two pumps to control the flow rate of the dialysis solution and to reduce the nursing load. The blood flow through the dialyzer is dependent on the net blood pressure gradient. Peritoneal dialysis or bicarbonate dialysate is infused through the dialysate ports utilizing both diffuse and convective transport for an average blood flow rate of 0.9 L/hour. The two pumps control the dialysate inflow and outflow rates. Ten patients with complications and acute renal failure were treated with CAVHD for periods ranging from 10 to 154 hours. Average urea clearance was 9.39 mL/min. Average creatinine clearance was 9.12 mL/min, and in stable patients, the mean BUN was maintained at 60 mg/dL and the mean serum creatinine level was 4.6 mg/dL. The average ultrafiltration rate obtained was 100 mL/hr and was adjusted for the body fluid condition. most patients tolerated CAVHD without further hemodynamic instability and did not develop serious complications. In conclusion, CAVHD is a safe and technically simple procedure, which is particularly suitable for hemodynamically unstable patients requiring fluid removal.

Acute Kidney Injury

Inheritance of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in Chinese--M-mode and two-dimensional echocardiographic analysis of 28 families.

To determine the mode of inheritance and degree of penetrance of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC) in Chinese, 132 family members of 28 probands with HC were assessed by M-mode and two-dimensional echocardiography. Of these 132, 103 cases were first-degree relatives of the probands. Twenty-seven (20.4%) family members, including 19 cases of first-degree relatives of the probands, had HC. Familial occurrence of HC was noted in 13 (46.4%) families. In 10 families, the affected relatives were identified in successive generations, and the mode of inheritance was most consistent with an autosomal dominant trait. The frequency with which HC was identified in relatives increased significantly with the number of subjects studied and a positive family history of sudden death. Subgroup analysis, using multivariate logistic regression analysis, revealed that increasing age was independently associated with a higher frequency of definite cases in first-degree relatives of the probands. In contrast, by multivariate analysis, there were no significant differences between frequency of definite cases in female and male relatives or in different familial relationships (parent, sibling, offspring) to the probands.

Adolescent

Elevated lead burden in Chinese patients without occupational lead exposure.

Studies were conducted in 10 healthy Chinese controls, 10 patients with chronic renal failure without gout, 8 patients with gout complicated with chronic renal failure and in 6 patients with chronic renal failure who subsequently developed gout. All the subjects had no history of occupational or accidental lead exposure. Total body lead burden was assessed by 24-hour urine collection measurements over a 72-hour period after intravenous administration of 1 g of calcium disodium EDTA. The postinfusion urinary lead excretion of the healthy controls (90.2, range 57.2-161.5 micrograms/3 days/1.73 m2) was higher than the values recently reported for healthy German controls. Similar to earlier studies, we failed to find elevated urinary lead excretion in patients with chronic renal failure without gout. Nevertheless, the EDTA mobilization test identified 2 patients with occult plumbism in this group of patients. Our study also clearly demonstrated that 4 of 6 patients with renal failure who developed gout de novo had underlying plumbism. The high prevalence of increased lead body burden in patients with chronic renal failure, in particular those associated with gout, indicates that lead may contribute to a significant portion of chronic renal disease in our patients. In addition, our data suggest that chronic low-level environmental lead exposure may subtly affect renal function.

Adult