Serum Concentrations Of Hepatocyte Growth Factor Research Articles

Increased hepatocyte growth factor in serum in acute graft-versus-host disease.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) was reported to be effective in preventing acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in a murine model. We examined serum HGF concentrations in 38 patients receiving allogeneic bone marrow transplants, and investigated the relationship of serum HGF concentrations to severity of acute GVHD. More HGF was present in sera from patients with than without acute GVHD. Serum HGF correlated significantly with grade of acute GVHD. Furthermore, serum HGF correlated with serum concentrations of C-reactive protein, gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GTP), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Serum concentrations of HGF in transplanted patients without GVHD were consistently low, while those in patients with acute GVHD increased with exacerbation. We conclude that HGF was produced during induction of the GVH reaction, and probably increased as a physiological response.

Expression of the c-met proto-oncogene and its ligand, hepatocyte growth factor, in Hodgkin disease

AbstractThe receptor for hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a transmembrane tyrosine kinase that is encoded by the proto-oncogene c-met. Recently, c-MET was detected in Reed-Sternberg (RS) cells from Epstein-Barr virus–positive (EBV+) Hodgkin disease (HD). The c-MET, EBER-1, and LMP-1 expression in 45 lymph node biopsies and 12 bone marrow biopsies obtained from patients with HD was analyzed. In addition, HGF levels in serum samples from 80 healthy individuals and 135 HD patients in different phases of disease. In all 45 lymph node and 12 bone marrow samples examined, RS cells expressed c-MET but not HGF+. These results were independent of the EBV infection. Interestingly, several HGF+ dendritic-reticulum cells were found scattered around c-MET+ RS cells. The mean ± SEM serum HGF levels in HD patients at diagnosis and at the time of relapse were 1403 ± 91 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1221-1585) and 1497 ± 242 pg/mL (95% CI, 977-2017), respectively. HGF values were significantly higher than those of healthy individuals (665 ± 28 pg/mL; 95% CI, 600-721; and P < .001 for both groups of patients) and of HD patients in remission (616 ± 49 pg/mL; 95% CI, 517-714; andP < .001 for both groups of patients). A significant correlation was found between serum HGF levels and B symptoms at diagnosis (P = .014). In conclusion, this study indicates that HGF and c-MET constitute an additional signaling pathway between RS cells and the reactive cellular background, thereby affecting adhesion, proliferation, and survival of RS cells. Furthermore, the serum concentration of HGF in HD patients may be a useful tool in monitoring the status of disease.

Hemodialysis prevents liver disease caused by hepatitis C virus: Role of hepatocyte growth factor

Hemodialysis prevents liver disease caused by hepatitis C virus: Role of hepatocyte growth factor. Hemodialysis increases markedly the serum levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) so that regular dialysis treatment (RDT) mimics the regular administration of HGF as a drug. Therefore, we have studied the effects of dialysis-associated HGF production on the severity of liver damage caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV). Biochemical tests of liver function and liver biopsy were performed in 10 patients on RDT and in 11 patients without renal disease (WRD) converted to anti-HCV serum-positive test for the same time (48 +/- 4 months). The HGF serum concentration was measured by enzyme immunoassay. In patients on RDT, HGF was measured just before starting a dialysis session (T0), at 15 and 240 minutes of dialysis (T15 and T240), and 24 hours later (T24 hr). Serum HGF was similar in WRD (average 0.17 ng/ml) as in RDT at T0 (0.25 ng/ml). In RDT serum HGF increased markedly at T15 and T240 (5.51 and 2.67 ng/ml, respectively, P < 0. 001 vs. WRD and T0) and was still higher than baseline at T24 hr (0. 41 ng/ml, P < 0.05). Both grade of necroinflammatory activity and stage of fibrosis were significantly lower in RDT than in WRD (both, P < 0.001). The number of apoptotic hepatocytes was also significantly reduced in patients on RDT compared with patients WRD. These results show that HCV-related liver disease is more benign in patients on RDT. The phenomenon may depend on the marked and prolonged HGF release caused by dialysis.

Comparison of the levels of hepatocyte growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor in aqueous fluid and serum with grades of retinopathy in patients with diabetes mellitus

AIMSTo determine the relation between the stages of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and the levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in aqueous fluid and serum.METHODSLevels...

Serum hepatocyte growth factor as an index of extensive catabolism of patients awaiting liver transplantation

BACKGROUNDWhole body catabolism as the result of intrahepatic metabolic derangement is common in liver transplant candidates. However, individual nutritional assessment parameters lack sensitivity and specificity in determining energy status of...

Hepatocyte growth factor as a potential index of complication in diabetes mellitus.

Diabetes mellitus (DM), characterized by the premature development of microvascular and macrovascular disease, shows a loss of vasodilatory properties of resistance vessels. However, the mechanisms of endothelial dysfunction in diabetes have not yet been clarified. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in vascular cells was down-regulated by high glucose levels, potentially accelerating the endothelial dysfunction in DM. In this study, the serum HGF level was measured to investigate further the role of HGF in DM. Tissue and circulating HGF levels were measured in the KKAy mouse, a rodent model of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), and lean C57 BL control mice. Then, serum HGF concentrations were measured in NIDDM patients without liver, kidney or lung damage. For the study of serum HGF concentration, 30 normotensive and age-matched 58 DM patients were studied. The 58 DM patients were divided into 26 patients without hypertension and 32 patients with hypertension [22 patients without hypertensive complications (WHO I) and 10 patients with hypertensive complications (WHO II + III)]. The serum HGF concentration in KKAy mice was significantly lower than that in control mice (P < 0.01), at 14 weeks of age when they exhibit features of diabetes. Similarly, tissue HGF concentrations in the heart and kidney were decreased significantly in KKAy mice compared with control C57 BL mice (P< 0.05). The serum HGF concentration showed a significant negative correlation with hemoglobin (Hb) A(Ic) concentration (P< 0.01, r= -0.41). Since the serum HGF concentration is a potential index of the severity of hypertension, the serum levels of HGF in DM patients without and with hypertension were examined. The serum HGF concentration in DM patients without hypertension was significantly lower than that in normal subjects (P< 0.05), whereas that in DM patients with hypertension was significantly higher than that in normal subjects (P < 0.01). Moreover, the serum HGF concentration in DM patients with hypertensive complications was further higher than that in others (P < 0.01). The present data showed that serum, cardiac and renal HGF concentrations in KKAy mice were significantly decreased compared with control mice. Therefore, a decrease in local HGF may be a trigger of endothelial dysfunction in DM. Clinical data also demonstrated a significant negative correlation between serum HGF and HbA(Ic) concentrations in diabetic patients without complications. In contrast, the serum concentration of HGF was significantly elevated depending on the severity of hypertension. These results suggest that HGF may be a new index of complications such as hypertension in DM.

Bone disease in multiple myeloma.

Bone disease in multiple myeloma.

Serum hepatocyte growth factor as an index of disease status of patients with colorectal carcinoma.

To evaluate the clinical significance of serum levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in colorectal cancer patients, we measured the venous and portal concentrations of HGF in 60 patients. The tissue concentrations in the tumour and adjacent normal mucosa were also determined. The serum HGF concentration for the peripheral venous blood of the patients was significantly higher than that in normal controls. The content of HGF in cancer tissue was also significantly higher than that in normal mucosa, and it was correlated with the serum HGF concentration for the peripheral venous blood. The serum concentration of HGF reflected pathological features, including tumour size and lymph node or liver metastasis, and it showed an association with various preoperative nutritional parameters and the preoperative haemoglobin level. The serum HGF concentration was also correlated with the serum concentrations of immunosuppressive acidic protein and interleukin-6, indices of the host's immunological condition. Serum HGF seems to be a useful index of the disease status of patients with colorectal carcinoma.

A Novel Vascular Modulator, Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF), as a Potential Index of the Severity of Hypertension

HGF (hepatocyte growth factor), a member of endothelium-specific growth factors, might contribute to protection and/or repair of vascular endothelial cells injured by high blood pressure (BP). If so, serum HGF level might be elevated in response to endothelial cell damage. To test this hypothesis, we measured serum levels of HGF in hypertensive and normotensive patients. Serum HGF concentration in hypertensive patients without any complication was significantly higher than normal subjects (p<0.001). Serum HGF concentration showed a significant positive correlation with BP (p<0.01). Interestingly, serum HGF concentration in hypertensive patients with complications was significantly higher than that in hypertensive patients without complication and normotensive subjects (p<0.01). Of importance, hypertensive patients treated with antihypertensive drugs showed the same level of serum HGF concentration as normotensive subjects (p<0.001). The present study demonstrated that serum concentration of HGF is significantly elevated dependent on the severity of hypertension, suggesting that HGF may be a new index of the severity of hypertension.

Clinical significance of serum hepatocyte growth factor in orthotopic liver transplantation

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) plays a key role in the regulation of liver regeneration after hepatocyte damage. Changes in HGF production reflect the status of the regeneration process. Serum concentrations of HGF and energy substrates were measured during and after liver transplantation in 30 recipients. In the patients with compromised grafts (group A) HGF concentrations were persistently high after reperfusion, whereas in the patients with well-functioning grafts (group B), HGF concentrations decreased rapidly and remained low 4 hours after reperfusion. The patients in group A who died had persistently high concentrations of HGF. The surviving patients with reversible primary graft dysfunction in group A exhibited low concentrations 48 hours after reperfusion. The decrease in HGF concentration preceded the decrease in aspartate aminotransferase concentration. The metabolic parameters that reflect carbohydrate metabolism by the graft paralleled the changes in HGF. HGF may be more sensitive and specific in predicting early graft function than prothrombin time, ratio, aspartate aminotransferase, or arterial ketone body ratio. The determination of HGF levels after liver transplantation may yield valuable information for evaluating early graft function and making an early decision to repeat a graft procedure in an acutely ill patient.