title: Hepatocyte growth factor attenuates airway hyperresponsiveness, inflammation, and remodeling.
abstract: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is known to influence a number of cell types and their production of regulatory cytokines. We investigated the potential of recombinant HGF to regulate not only the development of allergic airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), but also airway remodeling in a murine model. Administration of exogenous HGF after sensitization but during ovalbumin challenge significantly prevented AHR, as well as eosinophil and lymphocyte accumulation in the airways; interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-13 levels in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid were also significantly reduced. Further, treatment with HGF significantly suppressed transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), platelet-derived growth factor, and nerve growth factor levels in BAL fluid. The expression of TGF-beta, the development of goblet cell hyperplasia and subepithelial collagenization, and the increases in contractile elements in the lung were also reduced by recombinant HGF. Neutralization of endogenous HGF resulted in increased AHR as well as the number of eosinophils, levels of Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13) and TGF-beta in BAL fluid. These data indicate that HGF may play an important role in the regulation of allergic airway inflammation, hyperresponsiveness, and remodeling.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, Okayama University Medical School, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Okayama 700-8558, Japan.
authors.forename: Wataru
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Arihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kanehiro
authors.forename: Kunio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hirano
authors.forename: Katsuichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Maruyama
authors.forename: Mikio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kataoka
authors.forename: Toshikazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Erwin W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Gelfand
authors.forename: Mitsune
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanimoto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000166:cytology; D005260:Female; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D010047:Ovalbumin