• KSBB Journal
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.485-489
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• 2003

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a mesenchymal-derived cytokine. It exerts a motogenic effect on various target cells, which is displayed either by cell scattering, locomotion, and migration during the wound repair process of cultured cells, or invasiveness through the extracellular matrix, in vitro. Although it is known that HGF influences the motogenic effect of endothelial cells, the precise effects of HGF during migration are still poorly understood. To elucidate the role of HGF in endothelial cell migration, the effect of HGF on endothelial cell migration and MMPs and plasmin production were studied. We found that HGF induces the migration of cultured endothelial cells through increased MMPs and plasmin secretion.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1998

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), originally discovered and cloned as a powerful mitogen for hepatocytes, is a four kringle-containing growth factor which specifically binds to membrane-spanning tyrosine kinase, c-Met/HGF receptor. HGF has mitogenic, motogenic (enhancement of cell movement), morphogenic (e.g., induction of branching tubulogenesis), and anti-apoptotic activities for a wide variety of cells. During embryogenesis, HGF supports organogenesis and morphogenesis of various tissues, including liver, kidney, lung, gut, mammary gland, and tooth. In adult tissues HGF elicits an organotrophic function which supports regeneration of organs such as liver, kidney, lung, and vascular tissues. HGF is also a novel member of neurotrophic factor in nervous systems. Together with the preferential expression of HGF in mesenchymal or stromal cells, and c-Met/HGF receptor In epithelial or endothelial cells, the HGF-Met coupling seems to orchestrate dynamic morphogenic processes through epithelial-mesenchymal (or-stromal) interactions for organogenesis and organ regeneration. HGF or HGF gene may well become unique therapeutic tools for treatment of patients with various organ failure, through its actions to reconstruct organized tissue architectures. This review focuses on recently characterized biological and physiological functions integrated by HGF-Met coupling during organogenesis and organ regeneration.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.261-266
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• 2003

Type 1 diabetes is an organ-specific autoimmune disease caused by the cytotoxic T cells-mediated destruction of the insulin-producing beta cells in the Langerhans pancreatic islets. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a potent mitogen and a promoter of proliferation of insulin producing beta cells of pancreatic islets. To study the role of HGF via viral vector in the development of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes in mice, we have developed an adenoviral vector genetically engineered to carry the gene for human HGF (hHGF) and evaluate the change of blood glucose, insulin level, and insulin-secreting beta cells of pancreatic islets. We demonstrate that the treatment with hHGF gene prevented the development of STZ-induced diabetes and increased serum insulin level to above normal range. Furthermore, it preserved pancreatic beta cells from destruction. These in vivo results may support previous findings that HGF is insulinotropic agent for beta cells and HGF treatment renders the cells to be resistant to the development of diabetes from STZ administration. We suggest that an adenoviral mediated hHGF gene therapy is a good candidate for the prevention and treatment of type 1 diabetes.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.117-123
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• 2007

Background: This study was designed to investigate the role of the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) with regards to differentiation of somatic stem cells originating from the human umbilical cord blood (UCB) into hepatic lineage cells in vitro culture system. Methods: Mononuclear cells from UCB were cultured with and without HGF based on the fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-1, FGF-2, and stem cell factor. The cultured cells were confirmed by immunofluorescent staining analysis with albumin (ALB), cytokeratin-19 (CK-19), and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) MoAb. ALB and CK-18 mRNA were also evaluated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. In order to observe changes in proliferating capacity with respect to the cultured period, CFSE with affinity to proliferating cells were tagged and later underwent flow cytometry. Results: In the HGF-treated group, cultured cells had a large oval shaped appearance with adherent, but easily detachable characteristics. In the HGF-non treated group, these cells were spindle-shaped with strong adherent characteristics. Expressions of ALB and CK-19 were evident in HGF-treated group compared to non-expression of those in to HGF-non treated group. Dual immunostaining analysis of the ALB producing cells showed presence of PCNA in their nuclei, and ALB and CK-18 mRNA were detected on the 21st day of cultured cells in the HGF-treated group. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that HGF has a pivotal role in differentiating somatic stem cells of human UCB into hepatic lineage cells in vitro.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.425-431
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• 2009

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor play an important role in the formation and progression of glioma. In this study, I investigated the ability of HGF to recover of the PSA siRNA-suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion in U-251-MG cells. PSA siRNA-transfected U-251-MG cells showed the reduction of the proliferation, migration and invasion with compared to control. Treatment of HGF on the PSA siRNA-transfected U-251-MG cells recovered the ability of proliferation, migration and invasion. These data suggest that PSA and HGF may use unique and parallel signaling cascade leading to the proliferative, migrative and invasive phenotype of U-251-MG cells. I also showed that PSA cooperated with HGF to a migrative and invasive phenotype via the increased secretion of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.123-130
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• 2024

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) hold great promise as a source of stem cells for therapy, but several limitations remain. We previously proposed that human embryonic stem cell-derived MSCs (hE-MSCs) expressing higher hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) levels were better alternatives, exhibiting greater expandability in vitro and greater therapeutic capacity in vivo. In this study, we aimed to examine the regulation of OCT4 expression in stem cells and to elucidate its underlying mechanism of transcriptional regulation of OCT4. We detected higher expression of OCT4, a stemness-associated gene in hE-MSCs than in human bone marrow-derived MSCs (hBM-MSCs). To determine the underlying regulatory mechanism of OCT4 expression in human MSCs (hMSCs), ELISA was performed using cell culture supernatants of hMSCs. Unlike fibroblast growth factor 2 or vascular endothelial growth factor, HGF was strongly expressed in hE-MSCs, also HGF treatment significantly increased OCT4 expression in hBM-MSC. Moreover, senescence-associated heterochromatin foci were decreased in HGF-treated hBM-MSCs compared with those in the HGF non-treated group. HGF increased Rb phosphorylation, and we confirmed the increased binding of E2F1 to the OCT4 promoter region at -233 from the transcription start point in the presence of HGF. Taken together, these results suggest that HGF-mediated regulation of OCT4 via E2F1 can help enhance the lifespan of hBM-MSCs during in vitro expansion.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.59-71
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• 1998

The radiation-induced apoptosis was studied for two human cancer cell lines (KB cells, RPMI 2650 cells) and the human gingival fibroblast cell line (HGF-1 cells). The single irradiation of 2, 10, 20Gy was done with 241.5 cGylmin dose rate using the /sup 137/Cs MK cell irradiator. The cells were stained with propidium iodide and examined under the fluoro-microscope and assayed with the flow cytometry a day after irradiation. Also, the LDH assay was done to determine the amount of necrotic cells. The obtained results were as follows: 1. On the fluoro-microscope, many fragmented nuclei were detected in the KB, RPMI 2650, and HGF-1 cells after irradiation. 2. On the DNA content histogram obtained from the flow cytometry, the percentages of the pre-Gl peak of the control and 2, 10 and 20Gy irradiation group were 4.5, 55.0, 52.3, and 66.6％ on KB cells, 2.7, 3.3, 31.8, and 32.6％ on RPMI 2650 cells and 2.8, 21.8, 30.4, and 40.2％ on HGF-1 cells respectively. 3. The number of Gl-stage cells was abruptly decreased after 2Gy irradiation on KB cells and 10Gy irradiation on RPMI 2650 cells, But there was a slight decrease without regard to irradiation dose on HGF-1 cells. 4. There was no significantly different absorbance in extracellular LDH assay along the experimental cell lines.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.65-75
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• 2003

Objectives: To investigate the role of TGF (Transforming growth factor-$\beta$) involved in the paracrinic communication during decidualization between UEC (uterine epithelial cells) and USC (uterine stromal cells), we have employed a co-culture system composed of human endometrial epithelial and stromal cells in defined hormonal conditions. Design: In the co-culture, endometrial epithelial cells cultured in the matrigel-coated cell culture insert are seeded on top of the endometrial stromal cells cultured within a collagen gel. The co-culture was maintained for 48 hours under the following hormonal conditions: progesterone dominant condition (100 nM P4 and 1 nM E2) or estrogen-dominant condition (100 nM E2 and 1 nM P4). 10 ng/ ml HGF and/or 10 ng/ml TGF-$\beta$1 are added. Methods: RT-PCR is utilized to detect mRNAs quantitatively. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunohistochemical staining are utilized to detect proteins in the tissue. Results: Prolactin mRNA is expressed in the co-cultured stromal cells under the progesterone dominant condition. TGF-$\beta$1 and its receptors are expressed in both the co-cultured epithelial and stromal cells irrespective of the steroid present, which is in contrast with no or negligible expression of TGF-$\beta$1 or its receptor in cells separately cultured. Both estrogen and progesterone significantly elevate the concentration of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in the conditioned medium of the co-culture with the value of 4, 325 pg/ml in E2-dominant and 2, 000 pg/ml in P4-dominant condition compare to 150 pg/ml in no hormone. In separately cultured stromal cells, administration of HGF induces the expression of TGF receptor 1 in both hormonal conditions, but induction of TGF receptor 2 is only manifest in the P4-dominant condition. Administration of TGF-$\beta$ and HGF directly induce the decidualization marker prolactin mRNA in separately cultured stromal cells. Conclusion: It is likely that steroid hormones induces prolactin mRNA indirectly by promoting the cell to cell communication between the stromal and the epithelial cells. TGF-$\beta$ and HGF are two possible paracrine mediators in the human endometrial decidualization.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.375-384
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• 2004

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are known to induce multiple functions in early development, including mesoderm formation, gastrulation movement and antero-posterior patterning. The induction of mesoderm from Xenopus presumptive ectoderm and the combination effect on inducing organs of bFGF(basic FGF) and HGF (Hepatocyte Growth Factor) were studied. Explants were cultured in the combined solution for 3 days to normal embryo arrive at St. 43. These effects on combined dose were examined by histological experiment and by immunohistochemical method. The concentrations of growth factors were tested in 0, 0.5, 1, 10 and also tested in 50 ng/ml of bFGF, and 0, 1, 10, 50 and 100ng/ml of HGF respectively. The synergistic effects were seen in the combined-dose of bFGF and HGF rather than in single dose. Various organs were differentiated and highest inducing effects were seen at the combined concentration of 1 ng/ml of bFGF and 10ng/ml of HGF, and at the concentration 10ng/ml of bFGF and 1 ng/ml of HGF. The bFGF induces various organs from cultured animal cap explants and the effects are time and dose-dependent. HGF is also a potent mitogen for renal tubular cells and for mature hepatocytes in primary culture. Eyes were developed in high percentage at the combined concentration of 1 and 10ng/ml of bFGF, and 1 and 10 ng/ml of HGF. From the induced eye and normal embryonic eye, RPE65 was commonly detected by monoclonal antibodies 40All and 25F5 and the localization of RPE65 was seen by AP reaction.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2014

Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) is a facultative anaerobic bacterium mainly found in the oral cavity and is known to contribute to tooth decay and gingivitis. Recent studies on intestinal microbiota have revealed that microorganisms forming a biofilm play important roles in maintaining tissue homeostasis through their own metabolism. However, the physiological roles of oral microorganisms such as S. mutans are still unclear. In our current study, we identified that constituents released from S. mutans (CR) reduce arecoline-mediated cytotoxicity without producing toxic effects themselves. Arecoline, as a major alkaloid of areca nut, is known to mediate cytotoxicity on oral epithelial cells and induces a sustained intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) increase that is cytotoxic. The exposure of human gingival fibroblast (HGF) cells to CR not only inhibited the sustained $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ increase but also the initial $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ elevation. In contrast, CR had no effects on the gene regulation mediated by arecoline. These results demonstrate that S. mutans has physiological role in reducing cytotoxicity in HGF cells and may be considered a novel pharmaceutical candidate.