Immunohistochemical staining of GLUT1 in benign, borderline, and malignant ovarian epithelia.
BACKGROUND
Aberrant expression of the facilitative glucose transporter GLUT1 is found in a wide spectrum of epithelial malignancies. The authors describe an immunohistochemical study of GLUT1 expression in benign, borderline, and malignant ovarian epithelia.


METHODS
One hundred forty one formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections were immunostained with rabbit anti-GLUT1 using the streptavidin-biotin method. The samples were as follows: 3 endometriotic cysts, 9 serous cystadenomas, 15 mucinous cystadenomas, 17 noninvasive borderline implants, 3 invasive borderline implants, and 3 endosalpingiosis. In addition, 35 borderline tumors (26 serous, 7 mucinous, 2 seromucinous) and 56 adenocarcinomas (50 serous, 4 endometrioid, 2 mucinous) were stained.


RESULTS
Benign serous and mucinous cystadenomas and endosalpingiosis were non-staining with GLUT1 antiserum. Twenty-eight of 35 borderline tumors (80%) stained positively, with weak to moderate (1-2+ out of 3) staining intensity and focal or patchy distribution. Seventeen noninvasive serous borderline implants were negatively stained; however, three invasive serous borderline implants were positively stained with GLUT1 antiserum. Fifty four of 56 ovarian carcinomas (96%) stained positively, with moderate to strong (2-3+ out of 3) intensity and multifocal distribution.


CONCLUSIONS
GLUT1 is a consistent marker of ovarian epithelial malignancy. GLUT1 staining is absent in benign ovarian epithelial tumors, and shows progressively more staining in invasive tumors as compared to borderline tumors. Anti-GLUT1 antibody may be useful in distinguishing invasive from noninvasive serous borderline implants.
Kalir
Tamara
T
Department of Pathology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York 10029, USA. tamara.kalir@mssm.edu
Wang
Beverly Y
BY
Goldfischer
Michael
M
Haber
Richard S
RS
Reder
Ilan
I
Demopoulos
Rita
R
Cohen
Carmel J
CJ
Burstein
David E
DE
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D005260:Female; D051272:Glucose Transporter Type 1; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D010049:Ovarian Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000473:pathology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D051272:Glucose Transporter Type 1; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins; C495677:SLC2A1 protein, human