DELETION TYPE HEPATOCYTE GROWTH-FACTOR HAS DIFFERENT EFFECTS ON GROWTH AND C-MET EXPRESSION IN 10 DIFFERENT HUMAN HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA CELL-LINES

We examined expression of c-met protein, and the mitogenic and morphol ogic effects of deletion type hepatocyte growth factor (dHGF) by using 10 human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines having different m orphologic and biologic features. c-met protein was detected at varyin g levels in all cells, regardless of the histological grades. Among th e 7 lines expressing c-met at high levels, mitogenic effects of dHGF w ere stimulative for 2 lines; suppressive for 3 lines; and not distingu ishable for the other 2 lines. Furthermore, mitogenic effects of dHGF were different in two clonally related cell lines, having different mo rphologic and biologic features, even though expression of c-met prote in was comparable. dHGF induced scattering of cells and morphologic ch anges in two lines with suppressing and unaffected growth. In the 3 li nes expressing c-met at relatively low levels, no remarkable mitogenic or morphogenic effects were detected. These results suggest that the expression levels of c-met protein were not related to the differentia tion levels of HCC cells, and dHGF may cause different biological effe cts on the cells with almost identical c-met protein expression.