DIFFERENTIAL REGULATION OF GLUCOSE TRANSPORTER-1 AND TRANSPORTER-2 GENE-EXPRESSION BY HEPATOCYTE GROWTH-FACTOR IN HUMAN HEPATOBLASTOMA CELLS

Glucose transporters, GLUT-1 and GLUT-2, are key factors involved in f acilitative glucose transport to hepatocytes. The aim of the present s tudy was to clarify how hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) regulates expre ssion of both genes in HepG2 human hepatoblastoma cells. HGF dose-depe ndently suppressed cell growth, but enhanced cellular glucose uptake t ogether with increased expression of GLUT-1 protein. This increase res ulted from elevation of its transcript. In contrast, no changes were f ound in expression of GLUT-2 protein or its transcript by HGF treatmen t. These results indicate that HGF stimulates glucose incorporation th rough the selective up-regulation of GLUT-1 gene expression in HepG2 c ells.