OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression and role of glucose transporter-1 (Glut1) in infantile hemangioma.

METHODSFifty-two samples from infantile hemangioma, 25 in cavernous venous malformation, 9 in arteriovenous malformation, 2 in capillary malformation and 5 in normal skin samples were involved in this study. The EnVision immunohistochemical stain was used to investigate the expression of Glut1 protein in these samples.

RESULTSIn the early proliferating stage, a number of endothelial cells expressed Glut1. In the middle proliferating stage, most of vascular endothelial cells and scattered endothelial cells expressed Glut1. In the late proliferating stage, the expression of Glut1 decreased quickly. In the involuting stage, all hemangioma samples didn't express Glut1. All of the samples from the cavernous venous malformations, arteriovenous malformations, capillary malformations and normal skin had no expression of Glut1.

CONCLUSIONSGlut1 may be one of the phenotypes of infantile hemangioma endothelial cells in their development, rather than the inherent character. The expression of Glut1 changes according to the metabolic need of infantile hemangioma cells.