Analysis of the expression of Glut-1 and HIF-1α in oral squamous cell carcinoma and their correlation with prognosis

doi:10.19438/j.cjoms.2026.02.001

Abstract

Abstract: PURPOSE: To investigate the expression levels of glucose transporter 1 (Glut-1) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 α(HIF-1α) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) tissues, and their correlation with clinicopathological features and patients' prognosis. METHODS: Tumor tissue samples from 80 OSCC patients treated in Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University from January 2018 to December 2019 were collected. Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expression of Glut-1 and HIF-1α, and their correlation with clinicopathological features and prognosis of the patients was analyzed. RESULTS: The high expression of Glut-1 was significantly correlated with tumor differentiation (P=0.006), with higher Glut-1 expression in poorly differentiated tumors. The high expression of HIF-1α was closely related to tumor pathological grade (P<0.001) and tumor size (P=0.032), with stronger HIF-1α expression in high-grade and larger-sized tumors. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that patients with high expression of both Glut-1 and HIF-1α had the worst prognosis (P=0.006). Cox multivariate analysis confirmed that simultaneous high expression of Glut-1 and HIF-1α was an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in OSCC patients(HR=2.787, P=0.022). CONCLUSIONS: The expression levels of Glut-1 and HIF-1α are closely related to OSCC tumor grading, and patients with simultaneous high expression of both have worse clinical prognosis.

Key words: Oral squamous cell carcinoma, Glucose transporter 1, Hypoxia-inducible factor 1, Prognosis

CLC Number:

R739.8

Han Shengwei, Tang Chuanchao, Wang Yufeng, Han Wei. Analysis of the expression of Glut-1 and HIF-1α in oral squamous cell carcinoma and their correlation with prognosis[J]. China Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 2026, 24(2): 105-109.

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