title: Hepatocyte growth factor specifically expressed in microglia activated Ras in the neurons, similar to the action of neurotrophic factors.
abstract: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) mRNA and its receptor (c-Met) mRNA were detected in the fetal and adult rat brain. Expression of c-Met mRNA was increased after birth. HGF mRNA was preferentially expressed in the microglia of the rat brain, while c-Met mRNA was expressed in neurons as well as astrocytes and microglia. Most of the neurons were c-Met positive, and HGF stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of c-Met (140-kDa) in the neurons. HGF as well as bFGF also activated Ras in the neurons. These results suggest that HGF plays a biological role as one of the neurotrophic factors in the brain.
authors.affiliation: Division of Development and Differentiation, National Institute of Neuroscience, NCNP, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamagata
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Muroya
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mukasa
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Igarashi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Momoi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsukahara
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Arahata
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kumagai
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Momoi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D015870:Gene Expression; D011905:Genes, ras; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017628:Microglia / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D019000:Phosphotyrosine; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D019000:Phosphotyrosine; D014443:Tyrosine; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)