Response to ‘Glucose transport across the proximal tubule brush border membrane: Response to diabetes mellitus’

Abstract

GLUT2-mediated uptake provides a low-affinity, highcapacity route for glucose to enter proximal tubule cells during hyperglycemia and might therefore initiate the changes in cellular carbohydrate metabolism that have been linked to diabetic nephropathy. It is noteworthy that the Fanconi-Bickel syndrome, which is associated with glycogen accumulation in proximal tubule cells and a diabetic-like nephropathy, has been linked to mutations of the GLUT2 gene. 4 The emerging importance of GLUT2 in proximal tubule physiology suggests that expression of the transporter should be a major focus when considering the implications of chronic hyperglycemia for tubular damage.