title: Regulation of cell migration and cytokine production by HGF-like protein (HLP) / macrophage stimulating protein (MSP) in primary microglia.
abstract: HGF-like protein (HLP)/macrophage stimulating protein (MSP) is the only structural relative of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and is involved in the regulation of peripheral macrophage activation. However, the actions of HLP in microglia, a species of macrophage in the nervous system, which is closely involved in the neural degeneration and regeneration, is not yet understood. This study found that Ron, the receptor for HLP, is expressed in primary microglia using RT-PCR, immunocytochemical staining and Western blotting, and, thus, sought to elucidate the function of HLP on the primary microglia. HLP promoted microglial migration without affecting cell survival and proliferation. Furthermore, real-time quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that HLP greatly increased the mRNA of inflammatory cytokines, including IL-6 and GM-CSF, and iNOS. These findings provide the first evidence that HLP has the potential to modulate inflammatory actions of microglia, which proposes novel aspects for the process of degeneration and/or regeneration of the brain.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Funakoshi
authors.forename: Mitsuru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Machide
authors.forename: Kunio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Toshikazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakamura
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019556:COS Cells; D002460:Cell Line; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D017628:Microglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011485:Protein Binding; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C082332:macrophage stimulating protein; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor