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Updated: Dec 21, 2025

Glucose Uptake Measurement and Response to Insulin Stimulation in In Vitro Cultured Human Primary Myotubes
Published on: June 25, 2017
Development of Glucose Transporter (GLUT) Inhibitors
Elena S Reckzeh1,2, Herbert Waldmann1,2
1Department of Chemical Biology Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology Otto-Hahn-Str. 11 44227 Dortmund Germany.
Abstract:
The discovery of novel compound classes endowed with biological activity is at the heart of chemical biology and medicinal chemistry research. This enables novel biological insights and inspires new approaches to the treatment of diseases. Cancer cells frequently exhibit altered glycolysis and glucose metabolism and an increased glucose demand. Thus, targeting glucose uptake and metabolism may open up novel opportunities for the discovery of compounds that differentiate between normal and malignant cells. This review discusses the different chemical approaches to the development of novel inhibitors of glucose uptake through facilitative glucose transporters (GLUTs), and focusses on the most advanced and potent inhibitor classes known to date. GLUT inhibitors may find application not only in the treatment of cancer, but also of other proliferative diseases that exhibit glucose addiction.
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