Expression of glucose transporter-1 in human gastric carcinoma

Abstract

BACKGROUND Malignant cells show increased glucose uptake in vitro and in vivo, which is believed to be facilitated by glucose transporters (Gluts). Expression of Glut1, one of the Gluts, has been described in malignancies of the esophagus, colon, pancreas, lung, and brain, but to the authors' knowledge the significance of Glut1 expression in human gastric carcinoma has not been elucidated. The objective of the current study was to examine the expression and distribution of Glut1 and its relation to clinicopathologic parameters in patients with gastric carcinoma. METHODS Immunohistochemistry with anti‐Glut1 antibody was performed on 617 gastric carcinomas and 50 tubular adenomas of the stomach. Glut1‐positive and Glut1‐negative carcinomas were analyzed for their clinicopathologic characteristics including histologic subtype, depth of invasion, vascular permeation, lymph node and hepatic metastasis, peritoneal dissemination, and prognosis. RESULTS None of the adenomas expressed Glut1, whereas 182 of 617 carcinomas (29.5%) were positive for the protein. Signet ring cell carcinoma and mucinous adenocarcinoma rarely were positive (2.0% and 6.3%, respectively) and papillary adenocarcinoma (44%) showed slightly higher positivity for Glut1 than tubular (32%) or poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma (28%). Glut1‐positive tumor cells were localized mainly in the central part of tumor nests with or without peripheral distribution (92%) but peripheral distribution alone was very limited (8%) (P = 0.0001). Glut1 positivity was associated with depth of invasion (P = 0.0001), lymphatic permeation (P = 0.0001), venous invasion (P = 0.0001), lymph node metastasis (P = 0.0001), hepatic metastasis (P = 0.0001), and carcinoma stage (P = 0.0001). However, peritoneal dissemination was not found to be associated with Glut1 positivity (P = 0.0833). The survival of patients who had tumors that expressed Glut1 was significantly shorter than that of patients with Glut1‐negative tumors (P = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS In human gastric carcinoma, Glut1 is expressed late in carcinogesis and increases with disease progression. Glut1 expression is associated with tumor aggressiveness and patient survival. Cancer 2001;92:634–41. © 2001 American Cancer Society.

Usefulness of preoperative FDG-PET for detection of gastric cancer

“…They reported that the detection rate of the diffuse type, according to Lauren's classification, (41%) was significantly lower than that of the intestinal type (83%), and they noted that this phenomenon may be due to the mucin content in diffuse-type gastric cancer, which has a diffuse growth pattern. Their data are supported by the findings of another study, showing low expression of glucose transporter-1 (Glut-1) in signet ring cells and mucinous gastric carcinoma [12]. In the present study, the detection rate of the intestinal type (65.5%) was higher than that of the diffuse type (51.5%) overall, but the difference was not significant.…”

“…The uptake of FDG in malignant cells is reported to be correlated with the tumor growth rate [13] and with the number of viable cells [14]. Also, Kawamura et al [12] found that the expression of glucose transporter-1 (Glut-1) in gastric cancer was associated with parameters of aggressiveness of the tumor, such as depth of invasion, lymphatic permeation, venous invasion, nodal involvement, and hepatic metastasis. Therefore, a positive PET finding may demonstrate malignant aggressiveness, even in EGCs, and this may be an indicator of the extent of the lymphadenectomy required.…”

Fructose transporter Glut5 expression in clear renal cell carcinoma

“…Overexpression of the facilitative glucose-transporter has been observed for a wide range of human cancers (41)(42)(43)(44)(45)(46)(47)(48)(49)(50)(51)(52)(53)(54)(55)(56)(57)(58) with the degree of overexpression generally being inversely correlated with prognosis. The mechanisms by which GLUTs promote malignant cellular behaviour have focused on factors inducing its expression, such as local hypoxia (37), oncogenes such as Ras, Scr (15) or Myc (38).…”

FDG PET imaging of locally advanced gastric carcinomas: correlation with endoscopic and histopathological findings

“…Therefore, in gastric carcinomas the frequent occurrence of a diffuse growth pattern together with deposition of extracellular or intracellular mucus may lead to a reduced density of FDG-accumulating cells within the tumour. In addition, preliminary studies have indicated low expression of Glut 1 transporters in mucin-containing gastric carcinomas [16].…”