Consistent expression of HGF and c-met in the perinatal lung.
BACKGROUND
Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), an epithelial cell mitogen, has been shown to participate in normal lung development and in regeneration after lung injury. In human preterm infants, lower pulmonary HGF has been associated with more severe respiratory disease.


OBJECTIVE
We studied the protein expression of HGF and its receptor c-met during the perinatal period in the human lung.


METHODS
Immunohistochemistry for HGF and c-met was performed on lung tissues from autopsies of 4 fetuses, 5 preterm infants, 5 term infants, and 4 infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.


RESULTS
Immunohistochemistry for HGF showed staining in all cases in mesenchymal cells (fibroblasts and cartilage cells). Additional staining was found in bronchial and distal airway epithelium. Immunohistochemistry for c-met showed staining in bronchial and distal airway epithelium, and in most cases in neutrophils.


CONCLUSIONS
The consistent expression of HGF and c-met during the perinatal period supports a physiological role for HGF in human lung development.
Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Helsinki, Finland. patrik.lassus@helsinki.fi
P
P
Lassus
J
J
Janer
C
C
Haglund
R
R
Karikoski
L C
LC
Andersson
S
S
Andersson
D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous; D002102:Cadaver; D005333:Fetus; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008168:Lung / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / Q000378:metabolism*
D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met