title: Hepatocyte growth factor concentration in maternal and umbilical cord blood samples and expression in fetal liver.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether human placenta secretes hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and could influence fetal liver development.
  
  
  METHODS
  Expression of HGF and c-met mRNA in paired samples of first- and second-trimester fetal liver and placenta was compared using a quantitative ribonuclease protection assay. Serum HGF concentration in 30 samples of paired umbilical and maternal blood from term pregnancies was evaluated using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HGF and c-met mRNA were expressed at similar levels in liver and placenta, with expression increasing from 9 to 16 weeks' gestation. Median serum HGF values were 1.4 ng/mL (maternal venous), 1.2 ng/mL (cord venous), and 1.3 ng/mL (cord arterial). The maternal venous HGF levels were significantly higher than fetal venous levels (P =.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study does not support the hypothesis that the placenta secretes HGF, because maternal serum levels were higher than fetal and there was no significant difference between umbilical arterial and venous samples. Fetal liver expresses abundant HGF mRNA during the first and second trimester and expression increases in line with receptor (c-met) expression, suggesting that hepatic growth and development are independent of placental HGF.
authors: Division of Reproductive and Child Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
authors: D A
authors: DA
authors: Somerset
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Jauniaux
authors: A J
authors: AJ
authors: Strain
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Afford
authors: M D
authors: MD
authors: Kilby
mesh_terms: D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012260:Ribonucleases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D012260:Ribonucleases