Objective: Patients with diabetes are known to have high salivary glucose levels. But the mechanisms are still unclear. We hypothesized that the topological changes of glucose transporters affect the salivary glucose level.
Methods: We used adult Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats, an animal model of advanced diabetes, and Wistar rats as a control, with or without glucose load. The sections of salivary glands from the animals were processed for standard histological, immunohistochemical, and immunofluorescent staining.
Results: Parotid acinar cells of GK rats appeared like mucous filled with low-eosin-stained granules and possessing a flat nucleus located basally, whereas those of Wistar rats appeared as a typical serous gland with eosin-rich cytoplasm and a spherical nucleus. Cytoplasmic granules of GK rat parotid acinar cells showed no reaction of polysaccharide staining. In acinar cell cytoplasm of GK rats, intense GLUT1 immunoreactivity was observed compared to Wistar rats. By double immunostaining for GLUT1 and Golgi apparatus-specific markers, it was determined that GLUT1 was localized to the Golgi apparatus. By glucose loading in starved GK rats, the distribution of GLUT1-immunoreactive signals was spread out clearly from the apical side of the nucleus to the basolateral side.
Conclusions: In rat model of diabetes, highly localized GLUT1 at Golgi apparatus in acinar cells seems to increase taking up cytoplasmic glucose to form exocytotic vesicles. This phenomenon may transform parotid glands from serous to mucous-like and result in saccharide-rich saliva.
Keywords: Diabetes; Glucose transporter 1; Golgi apparatus; Goto-Kakizaki diabetic rat; Mucous-like gland transformation; Salivary gland.
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