title: Expression of HGF/SF in mesothelioma cell lines and its effects on cell motility, proliferation and morphology.
abstract: The expression of hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) was studied in 12 mesothelioma cell lines characterized by either an epithelioid or a fibroblast-like phenotype. Conditioned media from these lines were analysed by bioassay and ELISA, and HGF/SF was detected in three cell lines, all with a fibroblast-like or mixed morphology. None of eight epithelioid cell lines expressed the factor. Thus, for these cell lines, the ability to secrete HGF/SF correlated with the cell phenotype. Following on from these observations, two cell lines, BR and BT, with a fibroblast-like and an epithelioid phenotype, respectively, were further investigated. Both cell lines expressed the Met receptor but only BR secreted HGF/SF. Both cell lines responded to exogenous HGF/SF treatment by a change of morphology but in different ways: BR became more elongated and bipolar, while BT formed more spread-out cell colonies. HGF/SF acted as a paracrine effector on the epithelioid BT cells and stimulated both cell-spreading and proliferation. Interestingly, BT cells spread but did not scatter in response to exogenous HGF/SF. In contrast BR cells showed only some stimulation of cell motility with HGF/SF and no increase in cell proliferation was observed. Because HGF/SF was previously found in the pleural effusion fluids of patients with malignant mesothelioma and in paraffin-embedded tumour tissues, it is concluded that HGF/SF may well stimulate the growth and spread of malignant mesothelioma in vivo by paracrine and/or autocrine mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: School of Biology, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Warn
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dobbin
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Arakaki
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Daikuhara
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Jaurand
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Warn
mesh_terms: D002455:Cell Division; D002465:Cell Movement; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / Q000378:metabolism*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D014443:Tyrosine; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met