Patent ID: 7642061

Claim:
A method for in vitro diagnosis of pathologies linked to over-expression of GLUT1 on cell surfaces, said method comprising: contacting a biological sample from an individual with a GLUT1 binding polypeptide, said GLUT1 binding polypeptide being optionally labeled, or susceptible to be recognized by a labeled molecule, wherein said GLUT1 binding polypeptide comprises an envelope protein of a primate T-cell leukemia virus (PTLV), or a fragment thereof, that specifically binds to the ubiquitous vertebrate glucose transporter GLUTI represented by SEQ ID NO: 2; and determining the level of said GLUTI binding polypeptide bound to cells contained in the biological sample and comparing with the level of binding of said GLUT1 binding polypeptide to cells contained in a biological sample from a healthy individual, wherein an elevated level of binding indicates a pathology linked to over expression of GLUT1.