Expression of glucose transporter protein 1 and p63 in serous ovarian tumor

It has been shown that glycolytic metabolism is increased in malignant cells. Cancer cell growth is an energy-related process supported by an increased glucose metabolism. In addition, p63, a known homolog of p53, is expressed predominantly in basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the expression of glucose transporter protein 1 (GLUT1) and p63 in patients with serous ovarian tumor (benign, borderline and malignant) and study their close relationship with the malignant transformation of serous ovarian tumors.

Two hundred formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections were immunostained with rabbit anti-GLUT1 polyclonal antibody and mouse anti-p63 monoclonal antibody using the streptavidin-biotin method. The samples were as follows: 40 normal ovarian tissues, 40 serous cystadenomas, 40 borderline serous cystadenomas and 80 serous cystadenocarcinomas were stained.

Normal ovarian tissues showed completely negative staining for GLUT1 and p63. However, from benign serious cystadenomas, borderline cystadenomas to cystadenocarcinomas, the expression of GLUT1 and p63 grew stronger (P < 0.05). Moreover, the intensity staining of GLUT1 maintained a significant association with the expression of p63 (P < 0.05). In χ²-test analysis, expression of borderline cystadenomas and cystadenocarcinomas, intraperitoneal implants, ascites, lymph node status and International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage and GLUT1 expression levels have an appalling significance (P < 0.05), while FIGO stage, intraperitoneal implants and lymph node status except patient age and ascites have a statistical significance with the expression of p63 levels (P < 0.05).

Our findings show a progressive increase in the expression of GLUT1 and p63 from the benign serous cystadenomas, borderline cystadenomas to cystadenocarcinomas. Overexpression of GLUT1 and p63 are associated with the histology FIGO stage and metastasis of the tumors. These data suggested that the expression of GLUT1 and p63 may be closely related to the malignant transformation of serous ovarian tumors. However, the relative importance of GLUT1 and p63 in ovarian serous tumor development and tumorigenesis remains mostly unclear and awaits further investigation.