[Significant increase of glucose transport activity in breast cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To study the expression level and significance of glucose transporter 1 (Glut-1) in normal breast tissue, adenosis, adenoma and breast carcinoma.


METHODS
A total of 147 cases of female breast tissue samples, including 92 cases of invasive ductal carcinoma, 26 cases of breast fibroadenoma, 24 cases of breast adenosis and 5 cases of normal breast tissues, were collected for quantitative detection of the expression of Glut-1 protein by immunohistochemistry (EnVision method) and Western blot, and its mRNA by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).


RESULTS
In normal breast tissue and benign lesions of the breast, Glut-1 was undetectable or only weakly detectable in cytoplasm of ductal and acinar epithelia. In contrast, the intensity of Glut-1 staining was significantly higher in invasive ductal carcinomas (P = 0.0002) with protein expression predominantly in cellular membrane and lesser in cytoplasm. Western blot and RT-PCR analyses showed that the expression of Glut-1 protein and mRNA were significantly increased in invasive ductal carcinoma than fibroadenoma (P =0.001 for protein; P <0.05 for mRNA) and adenosis (P =0.001 for protein; P < 0.05 for mRNA). There was a significant difference among groups (P = 0.0002 for protein; P = 0.0001 for mRNA).


CONCLUSIONS
Glucose transport activity, as indicated by Glut-1 protein and its mRNA expression, significantly increases in breast carcinoma than non-cancerous lesions. The over-expression of Glut-1 in breast carcinoma is tightly coupled with tumor cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis, implying that Glut-1 may serve as a new marker in the early diagnosis and prognostication of breast malignancy as well as a new therapeutic target.
Li
Juan
J
Department of Pathology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China.
Yang
Shou-jing
SJ
Zhao
Xi-long
XL
Zhang
Ya-qing
YQ
Li
Kai-nan
KN
Cui
Ji-hong
JH
Li
Jing
J
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D005947:Glucose / Q000502:physiology*; D051246:Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051272:Glucose Transporter Type 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis
D051246:Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative; D051272:Glucose Transporter Type 1; D005947:Glucose