Expression of c-Met receptor and hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor in synovial sarcoma and epithelioid sarcoma.
Overexpression of c-Met receptor/hepatocyte growth factor (scatter factor) system (c-Met/HGF/SF) as a physiologically paracrine cellular signaling system is thought to be involved in the progression of malignant tumours. In 26 synovial sarcomas and epithelioid sarcomas, c-Met and HGF/SF expression was analysed immunohistochemically. There were 10 biphasic synovial sarcomas, 7 of which showed moderate to strong c-Met expression in epithelial areas compared with the fibrous component, with corresponding expression of HGF/SF. Six of 9 monophasic fibrous synovial sarcomas showed only very faint c-Met and corresponding HGF/SF expression. In 7 epithelioid sarcomas strong expression of c-Met and HGF/SF was observed within epithelioid tumour cells. Non-radioactive in situ hybridization demonstrated the synthesis of c-Met receptor in tumor cells by detecting c-met-mRNA. This analysis shows that in synovial sarcomas and epithelioid sarcomas, tumour entities with epithelial and mesenchymal structures, c-Met and HGF/SF overexpression can be detected, indicating a role of this signaling system in these subtypes of sarcoma, and especially in the more epithelioid tumour phenotype. An autocrine interaction between overexpressed c-Met receptor and HGF/SF may be hypothesized.
Kuhnen
C
C
Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Bergmannsheil, Bochum, Germany.
Tolnay
E
E
Steinau
H U
HU
Voss
B
B
Müller
K M
KM
D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / Q000378:metabolism*; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D013584:Sarcoma, Synovial / Q000378:metabolism*
D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met