Focal enhancement of expression of c-Met/hepatocyte growth factor receptorin the myocardium in human myocardial infarction

To determine the distribution and expression level of hepatocyte growth fac tor (HGF) specific receptor. c-Met, in human myocardial infarction. Autopsi es of 13 patients who died without heart diseases (control) and 13 patients with a history of myocardial infarction (2 h to 10 years before death). Th e harvested myocardial tissues were stained with hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) an d immunohistochemically stained for c-Met expression by the avidin-biotin-h orseradish peroxidase complex method using an antibody to c-Met. C-Met expr ession was only slightly increased in control subjects and in noninfarcted myocardium of the test group. In contrast, high expression was noted in the peripheral region of the myocardial infarction and in some hypertrophic my ocardial cells. C-Met was not expressed in the infarcted myocardium, but ov erexpression was noted in the surrounding myocardial cells of blood vessels and in the subendocardium and subepicardium in a band-like pattern. The ex pression level of c-Met was most enhanced at the time of appearance of coag ulative necrosis and least in the myocardium of subjects with old infarcts. Our results indicate that HGF preferentially reaches the ischemic regions of the myocardium and has local and direct effects on the myocardium in pat ients with myocardial infarction. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.