Expression of transketolase-like 1 (TKTL1) and p-Akt  correlates with the progression of cervical neoplasia.
OBJECTIVE
It is supposed that increased glycolysis is crucial for the energy supply during tumor progression. Unfortunately, the relevance of glycolysis in cervical neoplasia is unknown, but what is certain is the fact that cervical cancer shows a high expression of glucose membrane transporters, which are necessary for glucose uptake as an energy source. Transketolase-like enzyme 1 (TKTL1) and the oncogene p-Akt have been described to play an important role in glycolysis during tumorigenesis. Thus, we were interested in their expression in cervical tissue.


METHODS
We examined the expression of TKTL1 and p-Akt in 80 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded cervical specimens: 20 benign cervical tissues, 20 low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, 20 high-grade intraepithelial lesions, and 20 invasive squamous cell carcinomas (ISCC).


RESULTS
Immunhistochemical analyses revealed that the intensity of the expression of TKTL1 and p-Akt increases significantly with an increase in the histopathological grade of cervical tissues.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that both TKTL1 and p-Akt play an important role in the progression of cervical neoplasia, which may be due to their impact on glycolysis.
Kohrenhagen
Nico
N
Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany. kohrenhagen@email.de <kohrenhagen@email.de>
Voelker
Hans U
HU
Schmidt
Melanie
M
Kapp
Michaela
M
Krockenberger
Matthias
M
Frambach
Torsten
T
Dietl
Johanees
J
Kammerer
Ulrike
U
D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006019:Glycolysis; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism*; D014174:Transketolase / Q000378:metabolism*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology
C505431:TKTL1 protein, human; D014174:Transketolase; C494918:AKT1 protein, human; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt