A probing of inhibition effect on specific interaction between glucose ligand carrying polymer and HepG2 cells

reducing glucose-carrying polymer, called poly [3-O-(4'-vinylbenzyl)-D-glucose] (PVG), was interacted with HepG2 cells including a type-1 glucose transporter (GLUT-1) on the cell membrane. The cooperative interaction between a number of GLUT-1s and a number of reducing 3-O-methyl-D-glucose moieties on the PVG polymer chain was found to be responsible for the increase in the interaction with HepG2 cells. The affinity between the cells and the PVG was studied using RITC-labeled glycopolymers. The specific interaction between the GLUT-1 on HepG2 cells and the PVG polymer carrying reducing glucose moieties was suppressed by the inhibitors, phloretin, phloridzin, and cytochalasin B. Direct observation by confocal laser microscopy with the use of RITC-labeled PVG and pretreatment of HepG2 cells with the inhibitors demonstrated that the cells interacted with the soluble form of the PVG polymer via GLUT-1, while fluorescence labeling of the cell surface was prevented after pretreatment with the inhibitors of GLUT-1.