Over-expression of glucose transporter isoform GLUT1 and hexokinase I in rat renal oncocytic tubules and oncocytomas.

Renal oncocytomas, which have previously been shown to originate from the collecting duct system, were induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by oral administration of N-nitrosomorpholine (NNM) for 7 weeks. The expression of glucose transporter isoforms GLUT1 and GLUT2, and of several enzymes involved in glucose metabolism [hexokinase (HK), pyruvate kinase (PK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malate dehydrogenase (MDH)] were studied by cytochemical approaches in serial cryostat sections of the kidney 12, 23 and 34 weeks after withdrawal of NNM. Oncocytic tubules connected with collecting ducts were first observed 23 weeks, and oncocytomas 34 weeks after withdrawal. The cytochemical pattern of oncocytic tubules and oncocytomas was similar, but differed markedly from that of normal collecting ducts in nearly all variables studied; expression of GLUT1 and hexokinase I proteins were strongly increased; activities of HK, PK and MDH were elevated, while LDH activity was reduced. These results suggest that oncocytic transformation is associated with fundamental changes in energy metabolism which differ from those in cell lineages leading to other types of renal cell tumours, such as clear/acidophilic and basophilic cell tumours. The characteristic over-expression of GLUT1 may be used as a diagnostic criterion for the discrimination between oncocytes and acidophilic (granular) cells in clear/acidophilic renal cell tumours which show a reduced expression of this glucose transporter protein.