Objective: Prior evidence indicates that individuals with obesity have an accelerated intestinal glucose absorption. This cross-sectional study evaluated whether those with overweight or obesity display higher duodenal protein levels of the glucose carriers sodium-glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT-1), glucose transporter 2 (GLUT-2), and glucose transporter 5 (GLUT-5).
Methods: SGLT-1, GLUT-2, and GLUT-5 protein levels were assessed on duodenal mucosa biopsies of 52 individuals without diabetes categorized on the basis of their BMI as lean, with overweight, or with obesity.
Results: Individuals with overweight and obesity exhibited progressively increased duodenal protein levels of SGLT-1 and GLUT-5 as compared with the lean group. Conversely, no differences in duodenal GLUT-2 abundance were found among the three groups. Univariate analysis showed that SGLT-1 and GLUT-5 protein levels were positively correlated with BMI, waist circumference, 1-hour post-load glucose, fasting and post-load insulin, and insulin secretion and resistance levels. Furthermore, a positive relationship was detected between intestinal GLUT-5 levels and serum uric acid concentrations, a product of fructose metabolism known to be involved in the pathogenesis of obesity and its complications.
Conclusions: Individuals with overweight and obesity display enhanced duodenal SGLT-1 and GLUT-5 abundance, which correlates with increased postprandial glucose concentrations, insulin resistance, and hyperinsulinemia.
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