Regulation of hexose transport in cultured bovine retinal microvessel endothelium by insulin.

In microvessel endothelium obtained from young calf retinas, insulin stimulated the uptake of 2-deoxy-D-glucose in a dose-dependent manner. The maximal level of glucose uptake (50-100% over basal values) was observed at 1 ng ml-1 insulin. The effects of insulin on glucose uptake were time-dependent, with optimum stimulation of glucose transport observed after 90 min of insulin treatment. The effects of insulin were prevented by 15 min pretreatment with 2 micrograms ml-1 cycloheximide or by 2 micrograms ml-1 actinomycin D, suggesting a role for new protein synthesis in the actions of insulin on glucose transport in this cell type. These results demonstrate that cultured retinal microvessel endothelial cells exhibit an insulin-sensitive glucose transport system.