GLUT transporters family — physiological functions and role in development of malignancies

Abstract

The ceaseless struggle against cancer continues to drive significant advances in our understanding of this multifaceted disease. One area of growing interest is the metabolic reprogramming of cancer cells, which enables their survival, proliferation, and progression. Cancer cells often exhibit altered metabolic demands, including increased reliance on glucose and fructose metabolism, as well as increased protein and lipid utilization, to meet their heightened energy and biosynthetic requirements. While significant research has been devoted to glucose transporters (GLUTs), such as GLUT-1, GLUT-2, GLUT-3, and GLUT-4, less studied isoforms, such as GLUT-5, GLUT-6, GLUT-8, and GLUT-10, remain comparatively overlooked. This review explores the role of these lesser-known GLUTs in cancer metabolism, providing a basis for future research. By examining emerging evidence on their involvement in cancer progression, our aim was to assess their potential as therapeutic targets. Establishing a deeper understanding of these transporters could uncover novel strategies to disrupt cancer cell metabolism and identify new pathways for intervention. Our review emphasizes the need to fill this critical knowledge gap, and sets the stage for further investigation into these promising yet often overlooked metabolic targets.