A preliminary study on the relationship between GLUT-1，MCT-4 and CAⅨ in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract

Objective:The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of metabolism-related proteins including glucose transporter-1(Glut-1), monocarboxylate transporter-4 (MCT-4) and carbonic anhydrase Ⅸ (CAⅨ) in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and to access the clinical significance of the results.Method:Forty cases of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and 10 cases of adjacent corresponding laryngeal mucosal tissues was selected. Histopathological grading, TNM and staging were done. Immunohistochemical staining for GLUT-1, MCT-4 and CAIX was performed on tissue sections from 40 cases of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and 10 cases of adjacent corresponding laryngeal mucosal tissues to evaluate the association between the expression of metabolism-related proteins and clinicopathologic factors. Analysis was performed on SPSS software (Windows version 21.0). Result:The positive expression of GLUT-1，MCT-4 and CAⅨ in the 40 cases of laryngeal carcinoma was 72.5%，75% and 55% respectively. MCT-4 expression in normal mucosa was minimal or absent，while，the basal layer of proliferating stem cells is highly enriched in GLUT-1. Significant association of GLUT-1，MCT-4 and CAⅨpositive expression was found with histologic grade（P=0.012，P=0.028,P=0.013）, which high poorly differentiated expression in LSCC as compared to the well differentiated carcinoma cells. Moreover, of the 40 cases of LSCC，MCT-4 and CAⅨ was significantly associated with TNM stage(P=0.016，P=0.005). Higher MCT-4 and CAⅨ in stage Ⅲ or Ⅳ was found as compared to stageⅠor Ⅱ. The expression of GLUT-1，MCT-4 and CAIX showed no relationship with age，smoking amount，lymphnode metastasis or the tumor location（P>0.05）. There were significant positive correlations between the expression of GLUT-1, CAⅨ and tumoral expression of MCT-4(P<0.05) . Conclusion:The results here in presented glocuse uptake and pH regulation are closely linked in the metabolic remodeling，cancer progression and aggressiveness in LSCC. Therefore, combinatorial targeting of the metabolism-related proteins in the microenvironment of hypoxia may be an effective strategy for the treatment of patients with aggressive cancer.