Sodium/iodide symporter expression in primary lung cancer and comparison with glucose transporter 1 expression

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the expression of sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) and glucose transporter 1 (Glut1) in 139 primary lung cancers on immunohistochemistry, and to determine the diagnostic utility of NIS as an imaging reporter. Immunoreactivity for NIS and Glut1 was noted in 75 (54.0%) and 72 (51.8%) of the 139 cases, respectively. Analysis of NIS expression on Western blot confirmed the immunohistochemistry. NIS expression was significantly higher in the adenocarcinomas than in the other carcinomas, and Glut1 expression was significantly higher in the squamous cell carcinomas than in the other carcinomas (each P < 0.0001). The frequency of NIS expression in those carcinomas lacking Glut1 expression was significantly higher than in those with Glut1 expression (P = 0.012). Among 64 adenocarcinomas, the frequency of the NIS(+)/Glut1(-) phenotype was 61.0%, which was the most frequent expression pattern. By studying the expression pattern of NIS in lung cancer, the present paper provides a helpful foundation for examining the potential utility of NIS-mediated radioiodide as an alternative diagnostic modality, especially for the management of patients with lung adenocarcinoma lacking Glut1 expression.