Expression of hepatocyte growth factor and its receptor met in Wilms' tumors and nephrogenic rests reflects their roles in kidney development.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor Met are known to play diverse roles in both organogenesis and cancer. Wilms' tumor (WT) is a prototype for the link between abrogated development and neoplasia, with dysregulation of growth factor/receptor pathways playing key roles. Despite this, an understanding of the HGF/Met axis in the process is lacking.

Experimental design

Observing copy number alterations at the loci for these genes in WTs and their precursor lesions nephrogenic rests, we examined protein expression by immunohistochemistry and investigated the effects of HGF on an in vitro model of kidney development.

Results

HGF was preferentially expressed in the blastemal cells of nephrogenic rests but not WTs. Met expression was infrequent and restric

SUBMITTER: Vuononvirta R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2682776 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature