Hepatocyte growth factor: molecular biomarker and player in cardioprotection and cardiovascular regeneration.
The liver possesses impressive regenerative capacities. Grafts of embryonic liver explants and liver explant-conditioned media have been shown to enhance the mitotic activity of hepatocytes. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), also named scatter factor (SF), has been identified as a primary candidate in promoting and regulating liver regeneration. Although initially thought to be a liver-specific mitogen, HGF was later reported to have mitogenic, motogenic, morphogenic, and anti-apoptotic activities in various cell types. By promoting angiogenesis and  inhibiting apoptosis, endogenous HGF may play an important role in cardioprotection as well as in the regeneration of endothelial cells and cardiomyocytes after myocardial infarction. Since serum concentration of HGF increases in the early phase of myocardial infarction and in heart failure, HGF may also play a key role as a prognostic and diagnostic biomarker of cardiovascular disease. Here we discuss the role of HGF as a biomarker and mediator in cardioprotection and cardiovascular regeneration.
Institute of Cardiology, G. d'Annunzio University - Chieti, C/o Ospedale SS. Annunziata, Via dei Vestini, 66013 Chieti, Italy.
R
R
Madonna
C
C
Cevik
M
M
Nasser
R
R
De Caterina
D053687:Adult Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000378:metabolism*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006333:Heart Failure; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000378:metabolism; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D051381:Rats
D015415:Biomarkers; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor