title: Concentrations of hepatocyte growth factor in cerebrospinal fluid under normal and different pathological conditions.
abstract: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its specific receptor, MET, are expressed in the developing and adult mammalian brain. Recent studies have shown a neurotrophic activity of HGF in the nervous system. The present study focused on HGF concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum in normal persons and in different central nervous system (CNS) diseases considering blood-CSF barrier (BCB) function. Concentrations of HGF were analyzed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). HGF was present in normal human CSF (346+/-126 pg/ml) representing approximately half of the HGF serum concentrations. The CSF HGF levels were not significantly changed in chronic CNS disease and in aseptic meningitis (419+/-71 pg/ml), but significantly increased in patients with bacterial meningitis (6101+/- 5200 pg/ml). The HGF levels in CSF were not influenced by increased serum concentrations in patients with normal or mildly affected BCB function. The results show that HGF is present in normal CSF and does not appear to cross the CSF barrier significantly unless it is severely disrupted. So far, strong increases of HGF concentration in CSF are only present in acute bacterial meningitis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 9, D-50931 Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kern
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bamborschke
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nekic
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schubert
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rydin
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lindholm
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schirmacher
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor