The clinical value of (131)I-MIBG for targeted imaging and targeted radiotherapy is limited to neural crest-derived tumors expressing human norepinephrine transporters (hNET) protein. To extend (131)I-MIBG-targeted therapy to other nonexpressed hNET tumors, this study investigated the hNET expression in vitro and in vivo in HepG2 hepatoma mediated by recombinant adenovirus encoding the hNET gene (Ad-hNET). For this purpose, the HepG2 cells showed a 4.87-fold increase in (125)I-MIBG uptake after infection with Ad-hNET, and the uptake of (125)I-MIBG could be specifically inhibited by maprotiline. Immunohistological analysis, in vivo biological study and (131)I-MIBG scintigraphic imaging also revealed the high expression of hNET protein in hepatoma. This in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrate the feasibility of hNET gene transfer, meditated by adenovirus vector, could extend to tumors other than those derived from the neural crest, which provides a sound foundation for further investigation of hepatocellular carcinoma-targeted radiotherapy mediated by adenovirus transfection with hNET gene.