CONCOMITANT EXPRESSION OF HEPATOCYTE GROWTH-FACTOR (HGF), HGF ACTIVATOR AND C-MET GENES IN HUMAN GLIOMA-CELLS IN-VITRO

Three nem cell lines of human glioblastoma have been established, Thes e cells co-expressed hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor, c-Met, genes in vitro, Reverse-transcriptase/polymerase-chain reaction study revealed that the cells also expressed gene for HGF activator, a recently cloned serine proteinase, suggesting that HGF might have a role in glioma cells in vitro as an autocrine factor, The activator mR NA was also detected in other well-established glioma cell lines, glio ma tissues and normal brain, The concomitant expression of HGF, HGF ac tivator and c-met,vas also detected in one glioblastoma case in vivo o ut of five tested.