HUMAN HEPATOCYTE GROWTH-FACTOR (HGF) IN THE AQUEOUS-HUMOR

Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, we measured the concentrat ion of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in human aqueous humor and serum from 36 eyes of 33 patients and analyzed the relationship between HGF and several parameters of corneal endothelial cells. Aqueous HGF conc entrations ranged from 0.020-0.194 ng/mL (average: 0.101 +/- 0.034 ng/ mL) and was correlated positively with corneal endothelial cell densit y (r = 0.343, P = 0.01). The aqueous HGF level did not correlate with other corneal endothelial cell parameters or the serum HGF level. The HGF receptor, c-Met, was found in the corneal endothelial cell membran es. This study suggests that the aqueous humor HGF is a factor which m aintains an integrity of corneal endothelial cells. (C) 1997 Japanese Ophthalmological Society.