Jyw. Chan et al., Inhibition of glucose transporter gene expression by antisense nucleic acids in HL-60 leukemia cells, LIFE SCI, 65(1), 1999, pp. 63-70
Glucose is the basic source of energy for mammalian cells. The energy-indep
endent transport of glucose down its concentration gradient is mediated by
the facilitative glucose transporter family (GLUT). It has long been recogn
ised that glucose transporter genes are overexpressed in many human cancer
cells, to help provide extra energy for the rapid growth of cancer cells. I
n the present study, antisense oligonucleotides and plasmid-derived antisen
se RNA against GLUT-1 gene were synthesized and transfected into human leuk
emia HL-60 cells to investigate the effect of these antisense nucleic acids
on tumour growth. Our results show that antisense nucleic acids inhibited
the proliferation of HL-60 cells by 50-60% and the mRNA expression of GLUT-
1 gene was suppressed as detected by Northern hybridization.