Two recently identified glucose transporters, GLUT8 and GLUT12, are expressed in human skeletal muscle and may be involved in insulin-mediated sugar transport.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to measure GLUT8 and GLUT12 mRNA levels in endurance-trained versus sedentary individuals in an effort to determine the effect of repeated days of contractile activity on gene expression.
Methods: GLUT 4, 8, and 12 mRNA were measured in biopsies from the vastus lateralis using quantitative real-time PCR in endurance-trained (N=16, age=22.0+/-0.9 yr, VO(2 max) (L.min(-1))=4.13+/-0.25) and sedentary (N=15, age=21.3+/-0.8 yr, VO(2 max) (L.min(-1))=3.21+/-0.24) subjects.
Results: GLUT12 mRNA was lower (40+/-14%, P<0.05) in the exercise-trained compared with the sedentary subjects. There was no difference between groups in GLUT8 mRNA content. mRNA of the insulin-sensitive glucose transporter (GLUT4) was 78+/-27% (P<0.05) higher in skeletal muscle from endurance-trained compared with sedentary individuals.
Conclusion: These findings suggest an isoform-specific effect on the mRNA of the glucose transporters in human skeletal muscle with repeated days of contractile activity.