A rat liver gap junction (GJ) cDNA probe that detects mRNA encoding the 32 Kd GJ-protein (connexin 32) was employed to study GJ-protein gene expression in rat liver tumors induced by a single exposure to diethylnitrosamine (DEN) followed by exposure to 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF)/CCl4/AAF or induced by systemic administration of N-ethyl-N-hydroxyethylnitrosamine (EHEN). All carcinomas generated by these carcinogens showed markedly reduced levels of GJ-protein mRNA. This may indicate that GJ-protein levels and gap-junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) capacity are also severely compromised. Moreover, all hyperplastic nodules also showed a reduced level of GJ-protein mRNA. Taken together with our earlier finding that the liver tumor promoter phenobarbital inhibits GJ-protein gene expression, these results suggest that deranged GJIC is a relatively early event in liver multistage carcinogenesis. A range of other cDNA probes was also used to characterize gene expression in the DEN-induced tumors. Induction of expression was seen for glutathione S-transferase (placental form) (GST-P), gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT), and c-raf but not for c-Ha-ras or c-myc.