Muscle GLUT4 in cirrhosis

In cirrhosis GLUT4 protein content was quantitatively intact, while limiting glucose tolerance. This indicates loss of redundancy of the major glucose transport system, possibly related to the markedly decreased expression of its gene. Hyper-insulinemia may be a primary event. Our findings implicate the muscular GLUT4 system in the glucose intolerance of liver cirrhosis by a mechanism different from that in diabetes.