S. Lenzen et al., EFFECTS OF METFORMIN ON SGLT1, GLUT2, AND GLUT5 HEXOSE TRANSPORTER GENE-EXPRESSION IN SMALL-INTESTINE FROM RATS, Biochemical pharmacology, 51(7), 1996, pp. 893-896
The effect of the antihyperglycaemic agent metformin was studied on ge
ne expression of the energy-dependent sodium-hexose cotransporter (SGL
T1) and the facilitative hexose transporters GLUT2 and GLUT5 in rat in
testine. Metformin treatment (125 mg/kg body wt. twice daily for a per
iod of 3 days) significantly increased SGLT1 gene expression in duoden
um and jejunum. GLUT5 gene expression was increased by metformin treat
ment only in the jejunum; Gene expression of GLUT2 in the intestine wa
s not significantly affected by metformin treatment. This increase in
transporter gene expression offers the potential for increases in hexo
se uptake at the brush border membrane, and may compensate for other e
ffects of the drug that have been suggested to decrease glucose uptake
by SGLT1, as well as for metformin stimulation of glucose utilization
by the intestinal mucosa.