Could GLUT12 be a Potential Therapeutic Target in Cancer Treatment? A Preliminary Report.

Background: Recent studies proposed GLUT12 to be a major glucose transporter involved in the glycolytic metabolism of cancer cells.

Methods: GLUT12 expression was determined by immunohistochemistry in a selection of cancer cell lines and a tumour spheroid model.

Results: GLUT12 expression was high in A549 and RH-36; low in HT29; and absent in NB-EB cancer cell lines.

Role of carbohydrate response element-binding protein (ChREBP) in generating an aerobic metabolic phenotype and in breast cancer progression.

Background: The lipogenic transcription factor carbohydrate response element-binding protein (ChREBP) may play a key role in malignant progression of breast cancer by allowing metabolic adaptations to take place in response to changes in oxygenation.

Methods: Immunohistochemical analysis of ChREBP was carried out in human breast tumour tissue microarrays representative of malignant progression from normal breast through to metastatic cancer. The ChREBP protein and mRNA expressions were then analysed in a series of breast cancers for correlative analysis with common and breast-specific hypoxia signatures, and survival.

Adaptation to HIF-1 deficiency by upregulation of the AMP/ATP ratio and phosphofructokinase activation in hepatomas.

Background: HIF-1 deficiency has marked effects on tumour glycolysis and growth. We therefore investigated the consequences of HIF-1 deficiency in mice, using the well established Hepa-1 wild-type (WT) and HIF-1β-deficient (c4) model. These mechanisms could be clinically relevant, since HIF-1 is now a therapeutic target.