Suppression of facilitative glucose transporter 1 mRNA call suppress tumor growth

We attempted to suppress glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) expression by transfecting MKN45 cells with cDNA for antisense GLUT1. Glucose transport was: significantly decreased in cells with antisense GLUT1 compared with wild-type cells or cells with vector, alone. Suppression of GLUT 1 mRNA resulted in a decreased number of cells in the S phase. This was accompanied by overexpression of p21 protein. Tumorigenicity in the nude mice injected with antisense GLUT1 expressing cells was significantly slower than in those with wild-type MKN45 cells. These results suggest that antisense GLUT1 mRNA inhibits tumor growth through a G(1) arrest and that expression of antisense GLUT1 mRNA via gene therapy can be used as a tool in the treatment of cancer. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.