Differential glucose uptake by endothelial cells in response to in-vitro Herpes Virus 8 infection, when challenged with serums from diabetes mellitus type 2 patients

Abstract

This work explores the relationship between glucose uptake by human endothelial cells and infection by Human Herpesvirus 8 (HHV8). The results indicate that HHV8-infected endothelial cells uptake significantly more glucose than uninfected cells. In addition, when the endothelial cells are treated with diabetes type 2 serums (DM2), the uptake of glucose is even greater in HHV8 infected cells, but it is significantly depressed in not-infected cells. The authors conclude that HHV8 infection could play a role in metabolic modifications which characterize DM2 patients.