Expression of mouse-GLUT3 and human-GLUT3 glucose transporter proteins in brain

Polyclonal anti-peptide antisera were raised to the C-terminal sequence of mouse- and human-GLUT3 glucose transporter isoforms. GLUT3 protein and mRNA expression were investigated by Western blot and Northern blot assays, in a range of tissues and cell lines. Mouse-GLUT3 protein was detected only in rat brain, where it was present in most regions except adenohypophysis and pineal gland. Mouse-GLUT3 was also detected in primary cultured rat cerebellar neurons and the neuronal cell lines PC12 and NG108-15, but not in cultured astroglia. Human-GLUT3 protein was detected in CHO cells transfected with the human-GLUT3 cDNA and in human brain, but not in human placenta or fat. The expression of GLUT3 in rat brain and neurons indicates it is a major neuronal glucose transporter.