The effect of glucose concentrations in the medium on expression of insulin receptors in human lymphocytes B and T: an in vitro study

Abstract

Context: Insulin is one of the most-known factors that influence the intensity of cell-bound glucose transport. However, in order to react to this hormone, a cell needs specific receptors present in its membrane. The aim of this work was to investigate the insulin receptor expression in B and T cells under incubation with pathological glucose concentrations, respond hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia.

Materials and Methods: Isolated B and T cells were cultivated in different concentrations of glucose (high, low and normal). The expression of insulin receptors was investigated using methods of immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry.

Results: Incubation for 24 h of lymphocytes in pathological glucose concentrations seems to only have a slight influence on the expression of insulin receptors. No insulin receptor expression has been found in lymphocytes T incubated in both pathological concentrations of glucose. Different concentrations of glucose in the incubation medium were found to only marginally influence expression of insulin receptors in lymphocytes B.

Conclusions: Pathological concentrations of glucose in medium cause a decrease in the percent of cells which show expression of insulin receptors in comparison with normal glucose concentration. Thus, it appears highly probable that the insulin receptors did not arise under pathological glucose concentration in these cells de novo, but in little percent lymphocytes have existed there earlier, before the incubation.

Keywords::

• Insulin receptors
• B and T cells
• glucose
• immunocytochemistry
• flow cytometry