A ROLE FOR HEPATOCYTE GROWTH-FACTOR SCATTER FACTOR IN REGULATING NORMAL AND NEOPLASTIC-CELLS OF REPRODUCTIVE TISSUES

OBJECTIVE: To review data regarding the expression, function, and sign al transduction pathways associated with hepatocyte growth factor/scat ter factor (HGF/SF) as related to normal and neoplastic cells of repro ductive tissues. METHODS: Studies involving HGF/SF were reviewed and t he data were summarized. RESULTS: Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter fac tor is generally expressed within the stromal components of the testis , prostate, placenta, mammary gland, uterine endometrium, and ovary. T he receptor for HGF/SF, c-met, is expressed in the epithelial cells of these tissues. Ligand activation of c-met results in its autotyrosine phosphorylation and the subsequent stimulation of numerous signal tra nsduction pathways. Which pathways are activated determine in part the effect that HGF/SF has on a specific tissue. Hepatocyte growth factor /scatter factor can promote a variety of biologic responses including mitosis, motogenesis (ie, cell movement), differentiation, and apoptos is. In addition, both HGF/SF and c-met continue to be expressed during the neoplastic transformation of cells from these reproductive tissue s. CONCLUSION: Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor plays an import ant role in regulating the physiologic function of several reproductiv e tissues and may also be involved in the oncogenesis of cells within these tissues. Copyright (C) 1998 by the Society for Gynecologic Inves tigation.