Possible role of hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor and activin A produced by the target organ in liver metastasis.
The molecular mechanism of organ-specific metastasis to the liver remains largely unknown. However, it is conceivable that paracrine growth factors produced by a target organ induce migration and proliferation of malignant cells to that organ, and this is the cause of organ-specific metastasis. In this study, we investigated the effect of hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) and activin A, which are known to be produced by the liver, on the motility and growth of liver-metastatic cell line FBJ-LL. HGF/SF and activin A induced motility synergistically, but they did not affect the proliferation of FBJ-LL cells. Expression of the HGF/SF receptor, the c-met gene, and the activin-receptor type IA, type IB, and type IIA genes in FBJ-LL cells was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. These findings suggest that both HGF/SF and activin A promote organ-specific metastasis to the liver by induction of migration through their specific receptors on liver-metastatic cells.
Hyuga
S
S
Division of Biological Chemistry and Biologicals, National Institute of Health Sciences, 1-18-1, Kamiyoga, Setagayaku, Tokyo, Japan. hyuga@nihs.go.jp
Kawasaki
N
N
Hashimoto
O
O
Hyuga
M
M
Ohta
M
M
Yamagata
S
S
Yamagata
T
T
Hayakawa
T
T
D030201:Activin Receptors, Type I; D028341:Activins; D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000502:physiology*; D007265:Inhibins / Q000502:physiology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / Q000032:analysis; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor; D028341:Activins; D007265:Inhibins; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met; D030201:Activin Receptors, Type I