Solute carrier family 2, facilitated glucose transporter member 3 (GLUT3) (GLUT3)

Solute carrier family 2, facilitated glucose transporter member 3 (GLUT3) is a high-affinity glucose transporter primarily responsible for maintaining glucose homeostasis in the brain (UniProt P11169). It facilitates the movement of glucose across the plasma membrane of neurons, ensuring a constant energy supply even when blood glucose levels are low (PubMed: 10403557). In addition to its role in the central nervous system, GLUT3 is expressed in the placenta, testes, and degranulating white blood cells (NCBI Gene: 6515). In many cancers, GLUT3 is significantly upregulated to meet the increased metabolic demands of rapidly proliferating cells, a phenomenon linked to increased tumor aggressiveness and poor patient outcomes (PubMed: 28651077). Consequently, GLUT3 is considered a potential therapeutic target in oncology, particularly for glioblastoma and lung adenocarcinoma. However, the development of GLUT3 inhibitors is complicated by the risk of neurotoxicity, given the transporter's vital role in neuronal function (PubMed: 25611674).

Other names

SLC2A3Glucose transporter member 3Brain-type glucose transporterGLUT-3

Facilitated diffusion of glucose across the cell membrane down its concentration gradient (UniProt P11169). Small molecule inhibitors typically act through competitive or non-competitive inhibition of the glucose binding site or by locking the transporter in a specific conformational state (PubMed: 25611674).