1.Hepatocyte Growth Factor Receptor c-Met Instructs T Cell Cardiotropism and Promotes T Cell Migration to the Heart via Autocrine Chemokine Release.
Komarowska I1, Coe D1, Wang G1, Haas R1, Mauro C1, Kishore M1, Cooper D1, Nadkarni S1, Fu H1, Steinbruchel DA2, Pitzalis C1, Anderson G3, Bucy P4, Lombardi G5, Breckenridge R6, Marelli-Berg FM7. Immunity. 2015 Jun 16;42(6):1087-99. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2015.05.014. Epub 2015 Jun 9.
Effector-T-cell-mediated immunity depends on the efficient localization of antigen-primed lymphocytes to antigen-rich non-lymphoid tissue, which is facilitated by the expression of a unique set of "homing" receptors acquired by memory T cells. We report that engagement of the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) receptor c-Met by heart-produced HGF during priming in the lymph nodes instructs T cell cardiotropism, which was associated with a specialized homing "signature" (c-Met(+)CCR4(+)CXCR3(+)). c-Met signals facilitated T cell recruitment to the heart via the chemokine receptor CCR5 by inducing autocrine CCR5 ligand release. c-Met triggering was sufficient to support cardiotropic T cell recirculation, while CCR4 and CXCR3 sustained recruitment during heart inflammation. Transient pharmacological blockade of c-Met during T cell priming led to enhanced survival of heart, but not skin, allografts associated with impaired localization of alloreactive T cells to heart grafts.
2.Macrophages programmed by apoptotic cells inhibit epithelial-mesenchymal transition in lung alveolar epithelial cells via PGE2, PGD2, and HGF.
Yoon YS1,2, Lee YJ1,2, Choi YH1,2, Park YM3, Kang JL1,2. Sci Rep. 2016 Feb 15;6:20992. doi: 10.1038/srep20992.
Apoptotic cell clearance results in the release of growth factors and the action of signaling molecules involved in tissue homeostasis maintenance. Here, we investigated whether and how macrophages programmed by apoptotic cells inhibit the TGF-β1-induced Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in lung alveolar epithelial cells. Treatment with conditioned medium derived from macrophages exposed to apoptotic cells, but not viable or necrotic cells, inhibited TGF-β1-induced EMT, including loss of E-cadherin, synthesis of N-cadherin and α-smooth muscle actin, and induction of EMT-activating transcription factors, such as Snail1/2, Zeb1/2, and Twist1. Exposure of macrophages to cyclooxygenase (COX-2) inhibitors (NS-398 and COX-2 siRNA) or RhoA/Rho kinase inhibitors (Y-27632 and RhoA siRNA) and LA-4 cells to antagonists of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) receptor (EP4 [AH-23848]), PGD2 receptors (DP1 [BW-A868C] and DP2 [BAY-u3405]), or the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) receptor c-Met (PHA-665752), reversed EMT inhibition by the conditioned medium.
3.Hepatic Radiofrequency Ablation-induced Stimulation of Distant Tumor Growth Is Suppressed by c-Met Inhibition.
Ahmed M1, Kumar G1, Moussa M1, Wang Y1, Rozenblum N1, Galun E1, Goldberg SN1. Radiology. 2016 Apr;279(1):103-17. doi: 10.1148/radiol.2015150080. Epub 2015 Sep 29.
Purpose To elucidate how hepatic radiofrequency (RF) ablation affects distant extrahepatic tumor growth by means of two key molecular pathways. Materials and Methods Rats were used in this institutional animal care and use committee-approved study. First, the effect of hepatic RF ablation on distant subcutaneous in situ R3230 and MATBIII breast tumors was evaluated. Animals were randomly assigned to standardized RF ablation, sham procedure, or no treatment. Tumor growth rate was measured for 3½ to 7 days. Then, tissue was harvested for Ki-67 proliferative indexes and CD34 microvascular density. Second, hepatic RF ablation was performed for hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and c-Met receptor expression measurement in periablational rim, serum, and distant tumor 24 hours to 7 days after ablation. Third, hepatic RF ablation was combined with either a c-Met inhibitor (PHA-665752) or VEGF receptor inhibitor (semaxanib) and compared with sham or drug alone arms to assess distant tumor growth and growth factor levels.
4.The EGFR/ErbB3 Pathway Acts as a Compensatory Survival Mechanism upon c-Met Inhibition in Human c-Met+ Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
Steinway SN1, Dang H1, You H1, Rountree CB1, Ding W1. PLoS One. 2015 May 22;10(5):e0128159. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128159. eCollection 2015.
BACKGROUND: c-Met, a high-affinity receptor for Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF), plays a critical role in tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with activated HGF/c-Met signaling have a significantly worse prognosis. Targeted therapies using c-Met tyrosine kinase inhibitors are currently in clinical trials for HCC, although receptor tyrosine kinase inhibition in other cancers has demonstrated early success. Unfortunately, therapeutic effect is frequently not durable due to acquired resistance.