Solute carrier proteins and c-Myc: a strong connection in cancer progression.

Solute carrier proteins (SLCs), the most understudied and second largest group of membrane proteins, maintain cellular metabolic homeostasis via the export and import of various solute, ions, metabolites, and even drugs. Given the importance of SLCs in maintaining normal cellular function, dysregulation of these proteins leads to the dramatic progression of cancers in neoplastic cells. The importance of these transporters as drug targets is gradually being realized by the scientific community. In this review, we describe the role of SLCs in hallmarks of cancer, focusing mainly on the connection between oncogenes (Myc) and SLCs in breast cancer. We also discussed the role of glucose and amino acid transporters in cancer cells and how they can be manipulated to develop anticancer therapies.