Rheumatoid arthritis modifies basal and insulin-mediated glucose uptake by human synoviocytes

Basal and insulin-mediated glucose uptake were studied in human synovial cells. Cell cultures were established from samples of synovium obtained at synovectomy from patients with osteoarthritis (non-rheumatoid synovial cells, NRSC) or rheumatoid arthritis (rheumatoid synovial cells, RSC). Basal glucose uptake was significantly higher in RSC than in NRSC. NRSC were sensitive to insulin at near-physiological concentrations (10(-8)M), with maximal transport occurring after a 30-min. association time (27.2 +/- 2.0%, mean +/- SEM). Insulin did not stimulate significantly 2-déoxy-D-glucose uptake in RSC, regardless of the association time (up to 120 min.) or the insulin concentration (10(-10) to 10(-6) M). Treatment of NRSC with human recombinant interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) enhanced glucose uptake to a level similar to basal uptake by RSC. These results suggest that autocrine production of IL-1 beta by RSC could be responsible for the higher basal glucose uptake by these cells.