Immunoevaluation of GLUT-1 in oral squamous cell carcinoma

The aim of the present study is to analyse the role of glucose transporter (GLUT)-1 in oral cancer. This study was performed to evaluate the expression of GLUT-1 in normal oral epithelium, to evaluate the expression of GLUT-1 levels in the tissue samples of grades of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) [well-differentiated (WD), moderately differentiated (MD), and poor differentiated (PD)], and to statistically compare the expression of GLUT-1 in normal epithelium and in the grades of OSCC.

The study sample comprised formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue specimens from 12 cases of histopathologically diagnosed WD OSCC and ten cases of MD and PD OSCC and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue specimens from ten cases of normal oral mucosa. Sections were mounted on glass slides coated with aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APES; Sigma chemical co., USA) and processed for subsequent immunohistochemical study to demonstrate GLUT-1.

In our study, the GLUT-1 expression score of OSCC demonstrated strong positivity in 16 cases (50%), weak positivity in 11 cases (34.38%), and negativity in 5 cases (15.62%). There was significant correlation at a P value of 0.007 for expression of GLUT-1 in normal oral epithelium and OSCC.

Over-expression of GLUT-1 in peripheral cells of tumour islands and invasive front could reflect the active metabolism which may be taking place in these areas where cellular proliferation and invasion is at the highest. The notable expression of GLUT-1 in malignant cells reveals glucose transporters play a key role in tumour progression and metastasis.