title: GLUT1 expression in malignant tumors and its use as an immunodiagnostic marker.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze glucose transporter 1 expression patterns in malignant tumors of various cell types and evaluate their diagnostic value by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Glucose is the major source of energy for cells, and glucose transporter 1 is the most common glucose transporter in humans. Glucose transporter 1 is aberrantly expressed in several tumor types. Studies have implicated glucose transporter 1 expression as a prognostic and diagnostic marker in tumors, primarily in conjunction with positron emission tomography scan data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunohistochemistry for glucose transporter 1 was performed in tissue microarray slides, comprising 1955 samples of malignant neoplasm from different cell types.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sarcomas, lymphomas, melanomas and hepatoblastomas did not express glucose transporter 1. Forty-seven per cent of prostate adenocarcinomas were positive, as were 29% of thyroid, 10% of gastric and 5% of breast adenocarcinomas. Thirty-six per cent of squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck were positive, as were 42% of uterine cervix squamous cell carcinomas. Glioblastomas and retinoblastomas showed membranous glucose transporter 1 staining in 18.6% and 9.4% of all cases, respectively. Squamous cell carcinomas displayed membranous expression, whereas adenocarcinomas showed cytoplasmic glucose transporter 1 expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Glucose transporter 1 showed variable expression in various tumor types. Its absence in sarcomas, melanomas, hepatoblastomas and lymphomas suggests that other glucose transporters mediate the glycolytic pathway in these tumors. The data suggest that glucose transporter 1 is a valuable immunohistochemical marker that can be used to identify patients for evaluation by positron emission tomography scan. The function of cytoplasmic glucose transporter 1 in adenocarcinomas must be further examined.
authors.affiliation: Departament of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, SP, Brazil. carvalhokc@gmail.com
authors.forename: Kátia C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Isabela W
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.forename: Rafael M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Fernanda R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Ayala
authors.forename: Mariana M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Cajaíba
authors.forename: Maria D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Begnami
authors.forename: Rafael S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Vilela
authors.forename: Geise R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Paiva
authors.forename: Rodrigo G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Fernando A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Soares
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D051272:Glucose Transporter Type 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018302:Neoplasms, Neuroepithelial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D051272:Glucose Transporter Type 1