The Role of Glucose Transporter 1 in Drug Delivery: Transporter, Receptor and/or Signaling Component

The targeting of cell surface molecules is a promising strategy in drug delivery. Glucose modified-nanocarrier interacts with glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) as a target molecule and increases nanocarrier-drug internalization to cancer and brain endothelial cells. The mechanism by which GLUT1 promotes nanocarrier internalization remains unclear. Herein, we propose that the interaction of GLUT1 and nanocarrier absorbs and traps the nanocarrier and simultaneously activates cell signaling pathways that is responsible for activation of the endocytosis system.