Immunohistochemical examination of c-Met protein expression in astrocytic tumors.
Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF), which has various physiological functions, and its receptor c-Met, the human c-met proto-oncogene product, are thought to be determinant in the pathological processes of various malignancies. To investigate the possible role of HGF/SF in the progression of development of astrocytic tumors, we examined the expression of c-Met in these tumors. Immunohistochemistry using the streptavidin-biotin peroxidase complex method and immunofluorescence double staining with anti-c-Met polyclonal and anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein monoclonal antibodies were performed. Positive c-Met expression was detected in 31 of the 42 astrocytic tumors and some of the control cases analyzed. c-Met-positive cells showed morphological characteristics of astrocytes. Especially in the cases of high-grade tumors, c-Met positivity was abundant in cells in both vascular-rich and peripheral regions of the tumors but not in the cells with distinctly malignant features. Immunofluorescence double staining revealed that the c-Met-positive cells were in part of astrocytic origin. We suggest that c-Met-positive cells are affected by some factors in the lesions where the pathological processes are in a state of development. Our studies indicated that c-Met expression might take part in glioma invasion but not in the development of malignancy.
Hirose
Y
Y
Department of Neurosurgery, Ashikaga Red Cross Hospital, Ashikaga-city, Tochigi, Japan.
Kojima
M
M
Sagoh
M
M
Murakami
H
H
Yoshida
K
K
Shimazaki
K
K
Kawase
T
T
D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D019085:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005910:Glioma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met