Objective: To investigate the expression of glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) in human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and its relationship to clinical pathologic factors.
Method: Tumor tissues and the peritumoral and normal laryngeal tissue were collected from 57 patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. The expression of GLUT1 was evaluated at protein and mRNA level by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) in relation to clinical pathologic characteristics.
Result: GLUT1 protein and mRNA expression were significantly higher in tumoral tissues than in peritumoral and normal tissues (P < 0.01, respectively). Poorly differentiated tumor expressed higher levels of GLUT1 protein and mRNA compared to well differentiated ones (P < 0.05, respectively). Stronger GLUT1 protein and mRNA were detected in larger tumors compared with that in smaller ones (P < 0.05, respectively). There were significant differences in GLUT1 protein and mRNA expression in relation to TNM stage (P < 0.05, respectively). The expression levels of GLUT1 protein and mRNA were positively correlated with lymphatic metastasis (P < 0.05, respectively).
Conclusion: GLUT1 may play an important role in tumorigenesis, development, differentiation, lymphatic metastasis and prognosis of human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, and may be a useful marker of diagnosis and prognosis.