High rates of GNMT knockout mice developed HCC, while overexpression of GNMT prevented aflatoxin-induced carcinogenicity and inhibited liver cancer cell proliferation.
Based on the identification of GNMT as a 4 S polyaromatic hydrocarbon-binding protein, we used liver cancer cell lines that expressed GNMT either transiently or stably in cDNA transfections to analyze the role of GNMT in the benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) detoxification pathway.
Using genotypic characterization of GNMT in hepatoma cell lines and in a Taiwanese population with a high incidence of liver cancer we have investigated the role of this gene in the progression of liver cancer.