title: Hepatocyte growth factor protects small airway epithelial cells from apoptosis induced by tumor necrosis factor-alpha or oxidative stress.
abstract: Involvement of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in lung morphogenesis and regeneration has been established by in vitro and in vivo experiments in animals. In the present study, the protective activity of HGF against tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced damage of pulmonary epithelial cells was examined using the human small airway epithelial cell line (SAEC). Western blot analysis revealed that the receptor for HGF (c-Met) was highly expressed on the surface of SAEC and its downstream signal transduction pathway was functional. The SAEC was induced into apoptosis by the treatment with TNF-alpha or H2O2 in a dose-dependant manner, but was significantly rescued from apoptosis in the presence of HGF. The HGF effect was evident when added not only at the same time but also within several hours after treatment. This protective activity of HGF against the TNF-alpha- or H2O2-induced apoptosis was mediated, at least in part, by up-regulating the nuclear factor kappaB activity and an increase in the ratio of apoptosis-suppressing to apoptosis-inducing proteins. These results suggest that administration of HGF might exhibit a potent function in vivo for protection and improvement of acute and chronic lung injuries induced by inflammation and/or oxidative stress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Tamaho, Nakakoma, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan.
authors.forename: Michiyo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Kanji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugita
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inukai
authors.forename: Kumiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Goi
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kagami
authors.forename: Kazuteru
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawasaki
authors.forename: Shinpei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakazawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D048430:Cell Shape; D002470:Cell Survival; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D016877:Oxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / Q000378:metabolism; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000166:cytology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D051020:bcl-X Protein
chemical_list: C494811:BCL2L1 protein, human; D016328:NF-kappa B; D016877:Oxidants; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D051020:bcl-X Protein; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met