EXPRESSION OF HEPATOCYTE GROWTH-FACTOR SCATTER FACTOR AND ITS RECEPTOR, MET, SUGGESTS ROLES IN HUMAN EMBRYONIC ORGANOGENESIS

Citation
M. Kolatsijoannou et al., EXPRESSION OF HEPATOCYTE GROWTH-FACTOR SCATTER FACTOR AND ITS RECEPTOR, MET, SUGGESTS ROLES IN HUMAN EMBRYONIC ORGANOGENESIS, Pediatric research, 41(5), 1997, pp. 657-665
Citations number
38
Categorie Soggetti
Pediatrics
Journal title
ISSN journal
00313998
Volume
41
Issue
5
Year of publication
1997
Pages
657 - 665
Database
ISI
SICI code
0031-3998(1997)41:5<657:EOHGSF>2.0.ZU;2-B
Abstract
Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) is secreted by mesenc hymal cells and elicits proliferation, motility, differentiation, and morphogenesis of epithelia and other cells. These effects are mediated by binding to MET, a receptor tyrosine kinase. Genetically engineered mice lacking HGF/SF die in utero due to a failure of placental and he patocyte differentiation, but little information exists regarding the expression of this signaling system in human development. Using revers e transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, Western blots, and immunohi stochemistry, we report that HGF/SF and MET are expressed during criti cal early periods of human organogenesis from 6 to 13 wk of gestation. Organs that expressed both genes included liver, metanephric kidney, intestine, and lung, each of which develop by inductive interactions b etween mesenchyme and epithelia. Of all organs studied, the placenta c ontained the highest levels of HGF/SF protein, and MET was detected in trophoblastic cells of chorionic villi as early as the 5th wk of gest ation. Finally, examination of a human multicystic dysplastic kidney d emonstrated that malformed, hyperproliferative tubules expressed MET, whereas HGF/SF protein was immunolocalized to the same epithelia and a lso to the surrounding undifferentiated cells. Hence HGF/SF might be a n important growth factor in normal human embryogenesis and may additi onally play a role in human organ malformations.