Hexose transporters play a pivotal role in the absorption of food-derived monosaccharides in the gastrointestinal tract. Although a basic knowledge of the hexose transporters has already been gained, their detailed distribution and comparative intensities of expression throughout the gastrointestinal tract have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we quantitatively evaluated the expression of SGLT1, GLUT1, GLUT2, and GLUT5 by in situ hybridization and real-time PCR techniques using a total of 28 segments from the gastrointestinal tract of 9-week-old mice. GLUT2 and GLUT5 mRNA expressions were detected predominantly from the proximal to middle parts of the small intestine, showing identical expression profiles, while SGLT1 mRNA was expressed not only in the small intestine but also in the large intestine. Notably, GLUT1 mRNA was expressed at a considerable level in both the stomach and large intestine but was negligible in the small intestine. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated the polarized localization of hexose transporters in the large intestine: SGLT1 on the luminal surface and GLUT1 on the basal side of epithelial cells. The present study provided more elaborate information concerning the localization of hexose transporters in the small intestine. Furthermore, this study revealed the significant expression of glucose transporters in the large intestine, suggesting the existence of the physiological uptake of glucose in that location in mice.

SMCT1 (slc5a8) is a sodium-coupled monocarboxylate transporter expressed in the brush border of enterocytes. It regulates the uptake of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) produced by bacterial fermentation in the large intestine. Another subtype, SMCT2 (slc5a12), is expressed abundantly in the small intestine, but its precise expression profile remains unknown. The present study using in situ hybridization method, immunohistochemistry, and quantitative PCR analysis examined the distribution and cellular localization of SMCT2 in the digestive tract of mice and compared the expression pattern with those of other transporters for monocarboxylates. While an abundant expression of SMCT2 was found in the jejunum, this was negligible in the duodenum, terminal ileum, and large intestine. In contrast, SMCT1 had predominant expression sites in the large bowel and terminal ileum. Subcellularly, SMCT2 was localized in the brush border of enterocytes in the intestinal villi-as is the case for SMCT1, suggesting its involvement in the uptake of foodderived monocarboxylates such as lactate and acetate. MCT (slc16) is a basolateral type transporter of the gut epithelium and conveys monocarboxylates in an H + -dependent manner. Since among the main subtypes of MCT family only MCT1 was expressed significantly in the small intestine, it is able to function as a counterpart to SMCT2 in this location.

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Using structural equation modeling for secondary medical areas throughout Japan in 2015Takuya KUSUNOKI, Tohru YOSHIKAWA, and Ryo SANUKI This research aims to clarify the related structure of the distribution of general, chronic phase, and psychiatric sickbeds and capacity of long-term care insurance facilities in secondary medical areas, The results are as follows:1. urbanity and depopulation, which are latent factors of regional characteristics, influence the latent factors of sickbed distribution, such as acute care abundance, chronic care abundance, clinic care abundance, and observed variable of long-term care insurance facilities and home care support facilities, through the concentration of elderly.2. the number of universities with medical schools is positively affected by urbanity and positively affects acute care abundance.