Expression of hepatocyte growth factor and c-met in ulcerative colitis

Objective and Design: This study was designed to determine if the hepatocyt e growth factor (HGF)-Met system is involved in the repair process of infla med mucosa of ulcerative colitis (UC) and in the development of UC-associat ed colorectal cancer. Materials and Methods. HGF and c-met gene expressions were quantified in co lonic mucosal specimens from healthy control subjects, patients with UC and patients with UC-associated colorectal cancer, using the competitive rever se transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Expression of HGF protein was d etermined by immunoblot analysis. Expression of c-Met protein was analyzed immunohistochemically. Results: HGF and c-met gene expressions were increased in inflamed mucosa o f UC, compared with control subjects. Gene expression of HGF was also incre ased in the surrounding inflamed mucosa of UC-associated cancers. In cases in which the HGF gene expression was increased, an apparent increase in pro tein levels of HGF in inflamed mucosa of UC were observed by immunoblot ana lysis. The c-met gene was overexpressed in UC-associated cancers and a high level of immunoreactivity of the c-Met protein was immunohistochemically d etected within the cancer cells. Conclusion: We showed that HGF and c-met expression is increased in the inf lamed mucosa of UC and that c-met is overexpressed in UC-associated colorec tal cancers. These observations suggest HGF-Met system is involved in the r epair process of the inflamed mucosa of UC and provide further support for the view that the inappropriate expressions of both HGF and c-met genes pre dispose to the development of colorectal cancer in patients with UC.