IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL LOCALIZATION OF GLUCOSE TRANSPORTERS (GLUT1 AND GLUT3) IN THE RAT HYPOTHALAMUS

Immunohistochemical localization of the glucose transporters was studi ed in the rat hypothalamus by using a specific rabbit antiserum raised against either the isoform 1 (GLUT1) or the isoform 3 (GLUT3). Immuno reactive staining for GLUT1 was found in glia cells and capillaries, w hereas positive staining for GLUT3 occurred mainly in neurons and part ly in ependymal cells, Double immunostaining indicated that a small po pulation of GLUT1-positive cells were reactive for glial fibrillary ac idic protein, a marker for astrocytes, Another doubly stained section showed that GLUT1-positive glia cells were never stained with an OX42 antibody, a marker for microglia cells, Neurons staining positively fo r GLUT3, often large in cell size, were confined mainly in the lateral hypothalamic area and partly in the dorsomedial and periventricular h ypothalamic nuclei. Possible significance of these two glucose transpo rters in the hypothalamus is briefly discussed.