Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 1, 2026
Development of Compendium for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Published on: April 12, 2024
GLUT-1(+)/TKTL1(+) coexpression predicts poor outcome in oral squamous cell carcinoma
Martin Grimm1, Adelheid Munz1, Peter Teriete2
1Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Objective:
Tumor hypoxia is a crucial negative prognostic factor associated with outcome of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).
Study Design:
Expression of glucose transporter 1 (GLUT-1) (solute carrier family 2 [facilitated glucose transporter], member 1 [SLC2A1]) was analyzed in OSCC specimen (n = 161) and cancer cell lines by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. GLUT-1 expression on protein level was correlated with transketolase-like 1 (TKTL1) expression, clinical characteristics, and effect on survival. Subgroup analysis was performed for GLUT-1/TKTL1 coexpression.
Results:
GLUT-1 expression was significantly correlated with TKTL1 expression (P < .0001) and recurrence of the tumor (P = .001). Multivariate analysis did not find GLUT-1 expression to be an independent prognostic factor (P = .2478). GLUT-1(+)/TKTL1(+) subgroup showed the worst effect on survival compared with the GLUT-1(-)/TKTL1(-) subgroup (P = .0002).
Conclusions:
This study provides evidence that tumors linked with combined enhanced glucose uptake (GLUT-1(+)) and hypoxia-related glucose metabolism (TKTL1(+)) characteristics (GLUT-1(+)/TKTL1(+) coexpression) are associated with shorter survival in OSCC.
