Monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4) is an H<sup>+</sup>-coupled symporter highly expressed in metastatic tumors and at inflammatory sites undergoing hypoxia or the Warburg effect.
Finally, MCT4 was associated with parametrial invasion and HPV18 infection, CD147 and GLUT1 with distant metastasis, CAIX with tumor size and HPV18 infection, and VEGFR-1 with local and lymphnode metastasis.
We investigated the expression profile of MCT4, its prognostic value in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, its role in HCC cell proliferation and metastasis, and associated initial molecular mechanism.
Consistent with the potential selection of subclones enriched for MCT4 expression during disease progression, MCT4 expression was greater at sites of metastatic disease.