Effect of hyperglycemia on human monocyte activation

J Investig Med. 2011 Apr;59(4):661-7. doi: 10.2310/JIM.0b013e31820ee432.

Abstract

Our recent study defined the chemokine-induced human monocyte signaling under normoglycemic condition. To explore the hyperglycemia-induced monocyte signaling, we performed adhesion, migration, and transmigration assays on human monocytes obtained from THP-1 cell line in the presence of normal (5 mM) and high (10 and 20 mM) glucose concentrations without chemokines. We observed augmented (P < 0.01) monocyte adhesion to human umbilical vein endothelial cell monolayer at 10 than 5 mM glucose with no further increase at 20-mM glucose concentration (P < 0.07 vs 10 mM; P < 0.01 vs 5 mM). But incremental increases in monocyte migration (P < 0.01), transmigration (P < 0.01), and stress fiber response (P < 0.01) were observed at 10- and 20-mM glucose concentrations in comparison to 5-mM glucose concentrations. We found gradational increase (P < 0.01) in phosphorylation of Akt(S473) and glycogen synthase kinase (GSK3β(S9)) in hyperglycemia (10 and 20 mM) when compared with 5 mM glucose. Furthermore, hyperglycemia (both 10 and 20 mM)-treated monocyte showed up-regulated phosphorylation of p101 and p110γ subunits of PI-3 kinase in comparison to 5 mM glucose. Hyperglycemia-induced monocyte migration was restored to basal levels in the presence of PI-3 kinase inhibitor, LY. These observations imply that modest hyperglycemia per se, as is commonly observed in diabetic individuals, is a potent stimulator of monocyte activity even without chemokines.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Adhesion / drug effects
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Movement / drug effects
  • Elafin / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Endothelium, Vascular / cytology
  • Endothelium, Vascular / drug effects
  • Endothelium, Vascular / metabolism
  • Glucose / pharmacology*
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / metabolism
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta
  • Humans
  • Hyperglycemia / immunology*
  • Hyperglycemia / metabolism
  • Monocytes / drug effects*
  • Monocytes / immunology
  • Monocytes / metabolism
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Umbilical Veins / cytology

Substances

  • Elafin
  • PI3 protein, human
  • GSK3B protein, human
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3
  • Glucose