title: Macrophage-stimulating protein and RON receptor tyrosine kinase: potential regulators of macrophage inflammatory activities.
abstract: Macrophage-stimulating protein (MSP) is a serum protein belonging to the plasminogen-related growth factor family. The specific receptor for MSP is the RON (recepteur d'origine nantais) receptor tyrosine kinase - a member of the MET proto-oncogene family. Activation of RON by MSP exerts dual functions on macrophages. The stimulatory activities include the induction of macrophage spreading, migration and phagocytosis. However, MSP also inhibits lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of inflammatory mediators, including inducible nitric oxide and prostaglandins. These suppressive effects are mediated by RON-transduced signals that block LPS-induced enzymatic cascades that activate nuclear factor kappa-B (NFkappaB) pathways. Recent in vivo studies demonstrated that inactivation of the RON gene results in increased inflammatory responses and susceptibility to LPS-induced septic death in mice, suggesting that RON expression is required for attenuating the extent of inflammatory responses in vivo. Thus, MSP and RON are potential regulators that control macrophage activities during bacterial infection in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Immunology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and Denver Health Medical Center, Denver, CO, USA. ming-hai.wang@uchsc.edu
authors.forename: M-H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Y-Q
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Y-Q
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000276:immunology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology; D008262:Macrophage Activation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C082332:macrophage stimulating protein; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; C080835:RON protein; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases