Glucose transporters as markers of diagnosis and prognosis in cancer diseases

Abstract

Glucose is a main metabolic substrate, which plays a role as a source of energy and a substrate in several processes. Cell membrane is lipophilic, whereas monosaccharides are hydrophilic. Therefore, lipid bilayer is impermeable for these substances and they need specific carrier proteins. Glucose metabolism in cancer cells differs from this process in normal cells. Cancer cells prefer the process of glycolysis, which generates less molecules of ATP than complete oxidative breakdown, therefore cancer cells need more molecules of glucose. Increased uptake of glucose is due to changes in expression of glucose transporters. Several glucose transporters are overexpressed in cancer cells, however, there are also observed decreased levels of these proteins in cancer cells. There are observed specific correlations between cancer and expression of glucose carrier proteins. Therefore, changes in expression of glucose transporters in cancers may be treated as a marker of diagnosis and/or prognosis for cancer patients.

An appraisal of the current status of inhibition of glucose transporters as an emerging antineoplastic approach: Promising potential of new pan-GLUT inhibitors

“…Considering the crucial role of glucose supply for sustaining accelerated tumor metabolism and most malignant cells' overexpression of GLUT1 and GLUT3, strategies are being devised to effectively inhibit GLUTs in a neoplastic cellspecific manner. Nevertheless, as discussed earlier in this literature review, many cancer cells also overexpress other isoforms of GLUTs, SGLT1, and SGLT2 for sugar uptake (Szablewski, 2013;Wright, 2020;Pliszka and Szablewski, 2021;Szablewski, 2022). Thus, several approaches are envisaged for targeted inhibition of such transporters, particularly the GLUTs.…”

“…Mathematical models of accelerated glycolysis suggest that it lets the neoplastic cells produce a much higher amount of ATP than that derived from the normal Krebs cycle ( Gillies and Gatenby, 2007 ). To maintain the unhindered supply of glucose for fueling glycolysis, cancer cells overexpress several nutrient transporters on their cell surface, among which one of the most prominent ones are the glucose transporters (GLUTs) ( Ancey et al, 2018 ; Szablewski, 2022 ). Thus, irrespective of their etiologies, most neoplastic cells overexpress GLUT1 and GLUT3 isoforms, which have high efficiency for glucose transport ( Ancey et al, 2018 ; Suwabe et al, 2021 ).…”

Metabolic Reprogramming in Cancer Cells: Emerging Molecular Mechanisms and Novel Therapeutic Approaches

“…Other therapeutic strategies include compounds known to block glucose metabolism, such as 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG), or glucose transporters [203,204], such as phosphonoacetohydroxamate (PHAH), and SF-2312, which can additionally inhibit enolase activity (ENO). Isoform 1 of monocarboxylate transporters (MCT) can be inhibited by the compound AZD3965.…”

D-Allose: A Rare Sugar to Sweeten Cancer Cells

“…Cancer cells rewire their metabolic pathways to support their growth through the process of glycolysis, despite the lower ATP obtained compared to mitochondrial oxidative catabolism. In order to achieve the required amounts of ATP, cancer cells increase the uptake of glucose by changing the expression of glucose transporters (Szablewski, 2022).…”