Glucose transporter GLUT1 expression in penile cancer.

• Grant number: 24/03834-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2024
• End date: July 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Metabolism and Bioenergetics
• Principal Investigator: Céline Marques Pinheiro
• Grantee: Laís Caramelo Zulin
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde de Barretos Dr Paulo Prata (FACISB). Barretos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Penile cancer is a rare neoplasm with high incidence in Brazil. It affects men with a low level of education, and is associated with poor hygiene habits and sexually transmitted infections. The disease carries a great stigma, which delays diagnosis and restricts treatment in most cases. From the metabolic point of view, it is known that the reprogramming of glucose metabolism contributes to tumor progression, a phenomenon described as the Warburg effect. In this scenario, the tumor cell requires a large influx of glucose, which can be identified by analyzing the expression of glucose transporters (GLUT). The increased expression of GLUT1 has been identified in other tumor types and has been shown to be a potential marker for the development and aggressiveness of neoplasms. Disturbances in the metabolic reprogramming of can drastically affect the carcinogenic process, which points to GLUT1 as a potential therapeutic target. However, GLUT1 expression in penile carcinoma has not yet been described. Objective: To evaluate GLUT1 expression in penile cancer samples and to associate the results with the clinicopathologic data of the patients. Materials and methods: The expression of the GLUT1 protein will be measured through immunohistochemistry in approximately 180 penile cancer samples from patients of the Barretos Cancer Hospital. The extent and intensity of expression will be analyzed by pathologists and associated with clinical and pathological data using SPSS software.