Effects of different antipsychotics and the antidepressant mirtazapine on glucose transporter mRNA levels in human blood cells.

A relationship between cell metabolism and the expression of glucose transporters (GLUT) has been reported. On the other side, treatment with some antipsychotics has been associated with an increased incidence of hyperglycemia and new-onset type 2 diabetes. We here examined the effects of different concentrations of the conventional antipsychotic haloperidol (400 and 800 microg/ml), of the atypical antipsychotics clozapine (100 and 200 microg/ml) and olanzapine (100 and 200 microg/ml) as well as of the antidepressant mirtazapine (10(-7) mol) on the mRNA levels of GLUT1-5 in the human leukemic blood cell line U937 after incubation for 48 h. After experimental treatment, significant increases were detected by ANOVA and appropriate post-hoc tests for mirtazapine in GLUT4 mRNA levels as well as for haloperidol 400 and 800 microg/ml, olanzapine 200 microg/ml, and mirtazapine in GLUT5 mRNA levels. ANOVAs revealed no statistically significant changes in GLUT1-3 and beta-actin mRNA levels. These findings suggest that direct effects of psychotropic drugs on cellular GLUT4 and GLUT5 may be involved in the metabolic dysfunctions occurring during psychopharmacological treatment.