The Met proto-oncogene mesenchymal to epithelial cell conversion.
Coexpression of the human Met receptor and its ligand, hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF), in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts causes the cells to become tumorigenic in nude mice. The resultant tumors display lumen-like morphology, contain carcinoma-like focal areas with intercellular junctions resembling desmosomes, and coexpress epithelial (cytokeratin) and mesenchymal (vimentin) cytoskeletal markers. The tumor cells also display enhanced expression of desmosomal and tight-junction proteins. The apparent mesenchymal to epithelial conversion of the tumor cells mimics the conversion that occurs during embryonic kidney development, suggesting that Met-HGF/SF signaling plays a role in this process as well as in tumors that express both epithelial and mesenchymal markers.
Tsarfaty
I
I
ABL-Basic Research Program, National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Frederick Cancer Research and Development Center, MD 21702-1201.
Rong
S
S
Resau
J H
JH
Rulong
S
S
da Silva
P P
PP
Vande Woude
G F
GF
D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D003896:Desmosomes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D007633:Keratins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007668:Kidney / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000166:cytology; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014162:Transfection; D014746:Vimentin / Q000096:biosynthesis
C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D014746:Vimentin; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D007633:Keratins; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases