Glucose transporter isoform 1 (GLUT1) expression determines tumorigenicity of melanoma cells and their potential to form hepatic metastasis

The liver is the site of metastasis from virtually any primary malignant tumor and high portal glucose levels may be one of the factors supporting tumor growth in the liver. The facilitative glucose transporter isoform 1 (GLUT1) is the key rate-limiting factor in glucose transport into cancer cells, and we have previously shown that GLUT1 is a tumor-promotor in hepatocellular carcinoma, while its expression is at the detection limit in normal hepatocytes. The aim of this study was to analyze whether GLUT1 expression and a high capacity for glucose uptake, respectively, are general pro-cancerogenic factors in the…