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. 2013 Jan 9;29(3):287–294. doi: 10.1007/s12264-013-1298-y

Progesterone treatment before experimental hypoxia-ischemia enhances the expression of glucose transporter proteins GLUT1 and GLUT3 in neonatal rats

Xinjuan Li 11298, Hua Han 11298,31298, Ruanling Hou 11298, Linyu Wei 11298, Guohong Wang 11298, Chaokun Li 11298,✉, Dongliang Li 11298,21298,✉
PMCID: PMC5561836  PMID: 23307114

Abstract

Progesterone is an efficient candidate for treating stroke and traumatic brain damage. The current study was designed to investigate the effects of progesterone on glucose transporter proteins (GLUT1 and GLUT3) during hypoxic-ischemic injury in a neonatal rat model. We demonstrated strong staining for GLUT1 in the walls of blood vessels and GLUT3 immunoreactivity in hippocampal neurons after hypoxiaischemia. Hypoxia-ischemia elevated GLUT1 and GLUT3 at both the mRNA and protein levels in the hippocampus, and pre-treatment with progesterone (8 mg/kg) further enhanced their accumulation until 24 h after hypoxic-ischemic injury. These results showed that progesterone treatment induced the accumulation of both GLUT1 and GLUT3 transporters, and an energy-compensation mechanism may be involved in the neuroprotective effect of progesterone during hypoxic-ischemic injury after cerebral ischemic attacks.

Keywords: hypoxic-ischemic injury, progesterone, GLUT1, GLUT3, stroke

Contributor Information

Chaokun Li, Email: lichaokun@hotmail.com.

Dongliang Li, Email: xyldl8@gmail.com.

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