GLUT1 expression in human papillomavirus-positive anogenital lesions

GLUT1, an ubiquitous glucose transporter in the mammalian cells, is upregulated in many tumours, including human papillomavirus (HPV)-induced head and neck or cervical cancer.

To study in anogenital lesions whether or not GLUT1 expression correlates with genomic high-risk HPV integration, the first step in neoplastic transformation.

Forty-three HPV-positive biopsies positive for either low-risk or high-risk HPV were selected. Paraffin sections adjacent to those tested for the presence of HPV were processed for GLUT1 immunocytochemistry. GLUT1 expression was analysed by two histologists, blinded to HPV type and status and then compared with HPV typing results.

Two main staining patterns were observed, either staining from the basal to the granular layer or staining of superficial layers only. The first staining pattern corresponded to lesions with high number of episomal HPV-positive nuclei. Superficial staining was observed in lesions with low number of episomal HPV nuclei or when high-risk HPV was integrated in the cell genome.

Our results show that GLUT1 overexpression correlates with the number of episomally infected cells in the lesion, but not with the type (low or high risk) of HPV.