Glucose is the primary metabolic: substrate of macrophages, which are critical components of the host response to injury and infection, We have carried out a series of studies to examine macrophage glucose uptake and the status of glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) at both the mRNA and protein level, Peritoneal macrophages that were obtained from mice undergoing sham burned (S), 15% TBSA burn (B) +/- Pseudomonas aeruginosa burn infection (B + I) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) administration, [H-3]deoxyglucose uptake was significantly increased (B, 157 +/- 9%; B + I, 243 +/- 19%; S + LPS, 231 +/- 24%; S + TNF-alpha, 379 +/- 18%; B + LPS, 230 +/- 13%; and B + TNF, 305 +/- 23%, P < 0.01 vs, sham). GLUT1 mRNA and protein levels were increased as well (mRNA: B, 135 +/- 13%; B + I, 250 +/- 33%; S + LPS, 282 +/- 29%; S + TNF-alpha, 193 +/- 19%; B + LPS, 378 +/- 20%; and B + TNF-alpha, 204 +/- 16%; protein: B, 159 +/- 27%; B + I, 181 +/- 17%; S + LPS, 219 +/- 26%; S + TNF-alpha, 343 +/- 51%; B + LPS, 366 +/- 41%; and B + TNF-alpha, 415 +/- 44, P < 0.01 vs, sham), Macrophages co-cultured with LPS or TNF-alpha in vitro demonstrated a similar response pattern, Following burn injury and infection, macrophages augment their cellular glucose uptake, which is facilitated by an increased GLUT1 mRNA and protein levels, TNF-alpha elicited by LPS may mediate this enhanced carbohydrate metabolism at the point of glucose entry into the cell.