title: Does hepatocyte growth factor/c-Met signal play synergetic role in lung cancer?
abstract: There is growing evidence that the signal pathway between hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor c-Met plays an important role in the development of lung cancer, although the specificity of such role is to be clarified. It seems clear that the HGF/c-Met signal contributes to the metastasis of cancer cells to the lung by stimulating the hyperproduction and overactivation of cytokines and enzymes, e.g. HGF, vascular endothelial growth factor and matrix metalloproteases. The HGF/c-Met signal may act as the candidate responsible for the development of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) kinase inhibitor resistance. Experimental evidence showed that the combination of both EGFR and c-Met inhibitors had synergetic or additive therapeutic effects on lung cancer. Although the mechanism of interaction between HGF/c-Met and transforming growth factor-a/EGFR remains unclear, the cross-talk and balance between those two signal pathways are critical and necessary in the development of new therapies for lung cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China. xiangdong.wang@telia.com
authors.forename: Xiangdong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chunxue
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology*; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000378:metabolism; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases