Solute carrier family 2 facilitated glucose transporter (GLUT) (GLUT)

The Solute carrier family 2 (SLC2A), commonly known as the GLUT family, consists of 14 facilitative membrane proteins that mediate the transport of glucose and other hexoses across cell membranes down their concentration gradients (PMID: 23506882). These transporters are essential for maintaining systemic glucose homeostasis and cellular energy production, with specific isoforms exhibiting distinct tissue distributions and substrate affinities; for example, GLUT1 is critical for glucose uptake across the blood-brain barrier, while GLUT4 is the primary insulin-responsive transporter in muscle and adipose tissue (PMID: 28123924). Dysregulation of GLUT expression is implicated in various diseases, most notably in cancer, where GLUT1 and GLUT3 are often overexpressed to support the high glycolytic demands of tumor cells, a phenomenon known as the Warburg effect (PMID: 23506882). Additionally, genetic mutations in SLC2A members lead to metabolic disorders such as GLUT1 deficiency syndrome and Fanconi-Bickel syndrome (PMID: 31513340). Pharmacological modulation of GLUTs is a significant area of drug development, with research focusing on GLUT1 inhibitors like Bay-876 to starve cancer cells, although achieving isoform selectivity is crucial to minimize off-target effects on healthy tissues like the brain and heart (PMID: 27171337).

Other names

SLC2A familyFacilitative glucose transporter familyGlucose transporter memberGLUT family

Facilitated diffusion of glucose, fructose, and other hexoses across the plasma membrane, moving substrates down their concentration gradient without the consumption of metabolic energy (ATP) (PMID: 23506882).