title: Neoexpression of the c-met/hepatocyte growth factor-scatter factor receptor gene in activated monocytes.
abstract: Hepatocyte growth factor-scatter factor (HGF-SF ) mediates mito-, moto-, and morphogenic effects through the MET receptor, a membrane bound tyrosine kinase. HGF-SF/MET signaling is mitogenic for a large number of epithelial and endothelial cells and activates organ regeneration. HGF-SF transcripts have been detected in various myeloid cell lines. Therefore, the potential role of HGF-SF/MET signaling for circulating cells of the immune system, especially under conditions of inflammation, was evaluated. Several B-lymphoid and myeloid cell lines were found to express HGF-SF or c-met transcripts, while activity of both genes was mutually exclusive with the exception of low level coexpression in two B-cell lines. HGF-SF transcripts were present in low quantities in freshly isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs). In contrast, c-met expression was not detected in freshly isolated cells from peripheral blood, but was induced in monocytes by activation of monocytic or T-cell function. HGF-SF incubation led to an increased c-fos steady state transcript level in myeloblastic K562 cells and moderately promoted cell viability of freshly isolated preactivated monocytes. c-met expression is thus established in activated monocytes, in particular under conditions resembling inflammation, making these cells accessible to functional effects of HGF-SF.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, University Hospital, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beilmann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Odenthal
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Vande Woude
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Dienes
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schirmacher
mesh_terms: D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D018922:HL-60 Cells; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met