Placental expression of glucose transporter proteins 1 and 3 in growth-restricted fetal rats

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of intraut erine growth restriction on the placental expression of glucose transporter proteins. STUDY DESIGN: Intrauterine growth restriction was induced by bilateral uter ine artery ligation in the pregnant rat at a gestational age of 19 days (te rm is 21.5 days). Maternal rats were killed and fetuses were delivered by h ysterotomy on gestational days 20 and 21. Control fetuses from mothers that had been subjected to a sham operation were studied simultaneously. Glucos e transporter protein 1 and glucose transporter protein 3 messenger ribonuc leic acid was quantified by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction amplification. Glucose transporter protein 1 and glucose transporter prote in 3 densities in placental membranes were also assessed by Western blottin g and by immunohistochemical analysis. RESULTS: Glucose transporter protein 1 messenger ribonucleic acid, expresse d as a multiple of the matched sham control value, was unchanged on both da ys 20 and 21 of gestation. Glucose transporter protein 3 messenger ribonucl eic acid was also unchanged. Western blotting demonstrated no change in exp ression of glucose transporter protein 1 or glucose transporter protein 3 o n either day 20 or 21 of gestation. Immunohistochemical staining patterns f or glucose transporter protein 1 and glucose transporter protein 3 on the s yncytiotrophoblastic membranes were similar between the growth-restricted g roup and the sham control group. CONCLUSION: Placental expression of glucose transporter proteins in the pre gnant rat is unchanged with uteroplacental insufficiency.