Sweet Stop

Cancer takes many different forms, making it impossible to find a single treatment that is always effective. This diversity extends to how cancerous cells fuel their proliferation, and a better understanding of these differences could help us target specific cancer types. Cells from lung squamous carcinomas (SqCC, pictured) possess very high levels of a protein found in the cell membrane, known as glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1, shown in green), compared to cells of lung adenocarcinomas. As its name suggests, GLUT1 allows glucose, a type of sugar, to move from the bloodstream into cells, where it provides energy for chemical reactions. Inhibiting GLUT1 in mouse SqCC cells causes a reduction in tumour growth, suggesting that blocking GLUT1 could be a promising idea for treating squamous carcinomas, which account for one quarter of lung cancers. Meanwhile, the tumours’ dependence on sugar raises the possibility that changes in diet could affect cancer progression.

Written by Emmanuelle Briolat

Emmanuelle Briolat

Writer

A researcher specialising in visual signals in Lepidoptera, camouflage and the effects of light pollution, Emmanuelle’s writing covers a range of topics, from biomedical research to children’s books about moth defences.

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• Image from the University of Texas at Dallas
• Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
• Image copyright held by original authors
• Research published in Nature Communications, May 2017