Dynamic Metabolic Modeling of Glucose Transport and Utilization in the Human Brain

Alexander A. Shestov¹, Uzay E. Emir¹, Anjali Kumar¹, Pierre-Gilles Henry¹, Elizabeth R. Seaquist¹, Gulin Oz¹

Determining the kinetics of cerebral glucose transport and utilization is critical for quantifying cerebral energy metabolism. We report kinetic parameters for glucose transport and utilization by fitting both dynamic and steady-state data with a reversible, non-steady-state Michaelis-Menten model. Dynamic data were obtained by measuring brain and plasma glucose time courses during glucose infusions in 5 healthy volunteers. Steady-state plasma vs. brain glucose concentrations were taken from literature. Maximum transport capacity for glucose through the BBB was nearly two-fold higher than maximum cerebral glucose utilization. The glucose transport and utilization parameters were consistent with previously published values for human brain.