title: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in ovarian epithelial tumour fluids stimulates the migration of ovarian carcinoma cells.
abstract: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a pleiotropic growth factor implicated in the growth and spread of some epithelial tumours. The epithelial cells of a proportion of ovarian tumours, and some ovarian carcinoma cell lines, express high levels of the HGF receptor, c-Met. In this study, we show that ovarian ascitic fluid as well as benign and malignant ovarian cyst fluids contain significant levels of HGF. Ovarian cyst and ascitic fluid stimulated the migration of the ovarian carcinoma cell line, SK-OV-3, and this was greatly reduced by the addition of an HGF-neutralising antibody. Non-malignant peritoneal fluid contained low levels of HGF, and did not stimulate migration of the SK-OV-3 cells. Our results show that HGF is present in benign and malignant ovarian cyst and ascitic fluid, and that HGF in ovarian tumour fluid may be a major inducer of ovarian carcinoma cell migration.
authors.affiliation: WellBeing Ovarian Cancer Research Centre, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Cambridge, The Rosie Hospital, Cambridge, UK. hms28@mole.cam.ac.uk
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Sowter
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Corps
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000906:Antibodies / Q000494:pharmacology; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects*; D002633:Chemotaxis; D020420:Cyst Fluid / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008875:Middle Aged; D010048:Ovarian Cysts / Q000378:metabolism*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor