Elevation of facilitated glucose‐transporter messenger RNA in human hepatocellular carcinoma

Complementary DNA of a rat brain glucose transporter gene was used to examine the expression of glucose‐transporter messenger RNA in paired human hepatocellular carcinomas and adjacent nontumorous liver tissues, as well as in human hepatoma cell lines and human fetal liver samples. High expression of a major 2.8‐kilobase glucose‐transporter transcript was seen in all hepatoma cell lines and fetal liver samples examined, whereas a much lower level of expression was observed in liver tissues. When pairs of liver tissues were examined, elevation of glucose‐transporter RNA levels was observed in most of the hepatocellular carcinoma tissues examined.