SUGAR-TRANSPORT AND GLUT TRANSPORTER EXPRESSION IN A VARIETY OF HUMANIMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS-1 (HIV-1) CHRONICALLY INFECTED TARGET-CELL LINES

In this study, sugar transport and the cellular content of the human G lut 1 and 3 glucose transporters were ascertained in uninfected and ch ronically HIV-infected Jurkat and H9 cell lines (T-cell lines) and U93 7 cells (a promonocytic cell line). Sugar transport was determined by monitoring 2-deoxy glucose uptake (2DG) and glut transporter content w as determined by Western analysis. Although 'acute' HIV infection of H 9 cells led to increased cellular transport activity and Glut3 transpo rter content, chronic HIV infection exhibited no significant differenc es in sugar transport in any of the cell types investigated whether lo g or stationary phase cultures were employed. When uninfected and chro nically HIV-infected cell lines were compared, all cell lines expresse d the Glut 1 transporter, however, significant differences in Glut 1 t ransporter content were not observed, The Glut 3 transporter which cou ld only be detected in the H9 cell line exhibited no differences in Gl ut 3 content in uninfected or chronically HIV-infected cells (2.1 +/- 0.6 versus 3.8 +/- 2.1 x 10(-3) arbitrary units/mu g protein). A trend towards lower amino acid uptake was seen in the chronically HIV-infec ted cells but this was not significantly different from uninfected cel l cultures. The data indicate that: (1) glucose transport and the Glut 1 and 3 transporters are not increased in cells chronically infected with HIV-1 and (2) the expression of the Glut3 sugar transporters is n ot the same in all target cells. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All ri ghts reserved.