title: Immunohistochemical expression of the glucose transporters Glut-1 and Glut-3 in human malignant melanomas and benign melanocytic lesions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Reported data indicate that cancer cells have increased rates of glucose metabolism, as determined by 18FDG-PET imaging in patients with malignancies. The results of many studies have demonstrated that the expression of glucose transporters, especially Glut-1, is increased in a variety of malignancies. This study was undertaken to assess the differential expression of Glut-1 and Glut-3 by benign and malignant melanocytic lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunohistochemical staining for Glut-1 and Glut-3 was performed on paraffin-embedded tissue sections prepared from melanocytic nevi (12 cases), Spitz nevi (12 cases) and primary cutaneous malignant melanomas (20 cases).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed immunoreactivity for Glut-1 in all melanocytic nevi, 9 of the 12 Spitz nevi and in 9 of the 20 malignant melanomas, whereas Glut-3 was expressed in all the melanocytic lesions, both benign and malignant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings indicate that the glucose transporters Glut-1 and Glut-3 play a role in the glucose metabolism of melanocytic cells. Glut-1 was present in the majority of benign nevi, whereas its expression was downregulated in 55% of malignant melanomas. Our results suggest that glucose transporter Glut-1 expression can significantly discriminate between human malignant melanoma and benign melanocytic nevi, and support the idea that additional mechanisms other than Glut-1 may contribute to glucose uptake in melanomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomic Pathology, Catholic University Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy. paolaparenteanapat@yahoo.it
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Parente
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coli
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Massi
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mangoni
authors.forename: Manuela M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Fabrizi
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bigotti