小分子c-Met激酶抑制剂的研究进展

受体酪氨酸激酶c-Met即肝细胞生长因子HGF受体。HGF/c-Met信号通路在肿瘤形成、生长和转移过程中被频繁激活,因此, c-Met 已成为抗癌药物研究中一个重要靶标。重点介绍近年来基于c-Met通路的抗癌药物研究进展。     

肝细胞生长因子及受体传递的调节与内吞作用

肝细胞生长因子(HGF)是一种具有多重功能的细胞调控因子。HGF与其受体Met酪氨酸激酶(c-Met)的结合可激发多种生物学反应,从而调节细胞的增殖、分化、形态发生和侵袭运动等。有多种因素参与了HGF/c-Met信号传导的调控,从而防止信号的过度放大,其中Cbl1、Rab、泛素化激酶和HGF/c-Met的内吞等发挥了重要的作用。因此,对HGF/c-Met内吞过程的研究,了解内吞对于HGF/c-Met的信号传导及其调控的影响,探讨HGF/c-Met信号传导通路的调控机理和相互作用模式,可进一步阐明HGF/c-Met信号传导的调控机制,从而验证肝细胞中内吞作用直接调节HGF/c-Met信号通路的作用机制。     

肝细胞生长因子拮抗剂NK4抑制肿瘤的研究进展

肝细胞生长因子(HGF)是一种多功能细胞因子,其生物学活性由c-Met蛋白所介导,通过多种途径调节细胞的生长,发挥重要的生理效应.Met活化失调在许多肿瘤的发生及侵袭中都有重要的作用.目前,对HGF/c-Met系统的研究已取得了很大进展.c-Met抑制剂成为抗肿瘤药物的研究热点,其中NK4能显著抑制肿瘤的生长、增殖和转移,本文对NK4在抗肿瘤方面的作用做一综述.     

肝细胞生长因子抑制剂——NK4的抗肿瘤作用

肝细胞生长因子(hepatocyte growth factor, HGF)是一种多功能的细胞因子,其生物学活性由c-Met蛋白所介导.HGF/c-Met信号通路在肿瘤生成、侵袭、转移以及肿瘤新生血管生成方面起重要促进作用. 因此, HGF/c-Met信号转导通路可以作为抗肿瘤药物设计的靶点.其中,HGF-α链N端447个氨基酸组成的NK4蛋白是HGF的特异性拮抗剂,它不仅通过抑制HGF/c-Met系统的信号转导发挥抗肿瘤效应;而且可以通过拮抗HGF和其它血管生成因子如成纤维细胞生长因子（fibroblast growth factors, FGF)、血管内皮生长因子（vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF）的活性,进而抑制肿瘤新生血管生成,最终导致肿瘤细胞的凋亡.NK4的这种双重抗肿瘤功能使其成为一类很有前景的新型抗肿瘤药物.本文就NK4对肿瘤的抑制作用及其机制的研究进展进行综述.     

肝细胞生长因子和其受体c-Met在鼻咽癌组织中的表达及其意义

目的:探讨肝细胞生长因子(HGF)和其受体c-Met在鼻咽癌(NPC)中的表达及其意义.方法:采用免疫组织化学S-P法检测55例NPC,15例慢性鼻咽炎症中HGF/c-Met蛋白的表达,并结合临床病理进行分析.结果:HGF、c-Met在慢性鼻咽粘膜炎症中,主要表达于柱状上皮细胞胞膜或细胞浆;在NPC中HGF主要表达于肿瘤间质、癌细胞有少量表达;c-Met表迭于癌细胞,间质不表达.HGF、c-Met蛋白在NPC中的阳性表达率分别为90.9%(39/55)、70.9%(50/55),与对照组相比,差异有显著性(P＜0.05);HGF,c-Met的阳性表达与临床分期呈正相关(P＜0.05),而与年龄、性别、组织分型无相关性;有淋巴结转移的c-Met蛋白阳性表达率分别显著高于无淋巴结转移,差异有显著性(P＜0.01).结论:HGF/c-Met过度表达可能在鼻咽癌癌细胞的侵袭转移过程中起调节作用,c-Met基因的异常表达与NPC侵袭转移生物学行为密切相关,c-Met对于判断NPC预后具有一定价值.     

肝细胞生长因子/c-Met信号通路在肝癌恶性行为中的作用

肝细胞癌(hepatocellular carcinoma,HCC)是常见的恶性肿瘤之一,由于其转移能力强、易复发以及对放化疗抵抗,导致其预后很差。研究表明,HGF/c-Met介导的信号传导在肝癌的侵袭和转移中起着重要作用,c-Met的激活能引发"侵入性生长"程序,使细胞运动性、侵袭性增强,减少细胞的凋亡。因此,更加深入了解与肝癌细胞发生发展相关的信号通路,以及探寻治疗肝癌的分子靶点将是未来研究的重点领域。本文综述了HGF/c-Met信号通路概况、c-Met的活化和调节、该通路与肝癌恶性行为的关系以及基于c-Met的肝癌靶向治疗。     

乙肝病毒X蛋白通过NF-κB通路调节肝癌细胞迁移、侵袭的研究

慢性乙肝病毒感染是亚洲国家肝癌的常见病因,乙肝病毒所表达的乙肝病毒X蛋白(Hepatitis B virus X protein,HBx)是肝癌发生发展的重要推动因子。核因子-κB(Nuclear factorκB,NF-κB)是模式识别受体下游重要的转录因子,肝细胞生长因子(Hepatocyte growth factor,HGF)/c-Met途径能够促进NF-κB活化,并通过活化的NF-κB来调节肝癌细胞的迁移、侵袭等生物学环节。但HBx是否直接通过NF-κB通路来调节肝癌细胞的迁移、侵袭尚未明确。为探究HBx通过NF-κB通路调节肝癌细胞迁移、侵袭的作用,本研究采用培养肝癌HepG2细胞并分组,空白对照组用不含药物及质粒的DMEM处理,空白质粒组转染1.2μg的pcDNA3.1空白质粒,HBx质粒组转染不同浓度的HBx表达质粒pcDNA3.1-HBx,HBx+PDTC组转染1.2μg的HBx表达质粒pcDNA3.1-HBx并用含有50μmol/L PDTC的DMEM进行处理;皮下注射HepG2细胞建立移植瘤小鼠模型,称量移植瘤的质量。检测细胞迁移及侵袭活力、细胞及移植瘤中NF-κB通路分子、迁移基因、侵袭基因的表达。结果显示,与空白对照组、空白质粒组比较,HBx质粒组细胞中NF-κB、HGF、c-Met、N-cadherin、Vimentin、MMP2、MMP9的蛋白表达水平及相对愈合面积、侵袭数目均明显增多(P0.05);与HBx质粒组比较,HBx+PDTC组细胞中NF-κB、HGF、c-Met、N-cadherin、Vimentin、MMP2、MMP9的蛋白表达水平及相对愈合面积、侵袭数目均明显减少(P0.05);与空白对照组、空白质粒组比较,HBx质粒组移植瘤的质量及移植瘤中NF-κB、HGF、c-Met的蛋白表达水平明显增加(P0.05)。本研究得出结论,HBx能够促进肝癌细胞的迁移、侵袭,且该作用与激活NF-κB通路有关。     

肝细胞生长因子对氧糖剥夺/再灌注神经元的保护作用

本文旨在探讨肝细胞生长因子（hepatocyte growth factor,HGF）对神经元氧糖剥夺/再灌注损伤的影响。取原代培养12d的Sprague-Dawley大鼠大脑皮层神经元,无糖、无氧（95%N2＋5%CO2）孵育2h后,换含25mmol/L葡萄糖的培养液、常氧培养0-24h,以MTT比色法检测细胞活力、乳酸脱氢酶（lactate dehydrogenase,LDH）漏出率作为细胞损伤指标,建立体外氧糖剥夺/再灌注损伤细胞模型;用流式细胞仪和Hoechst33258染色分析细胞凋亡率;用RT-PCR和Western blot分别检测大鼠脑皮层神经元HGF受体c-Met mRNA和蛋白的表达。于氧糖剥夺2h/再灌注24h处理前2h,加入不同终浓度（5-120ng/mL）的HGF,观察HGF对皮层神经元的影响。结果显示,c-Met表达于皮层神经元,氧糖剥夺2h/再灌注24h后,c-Met mRNA和蛋白表达均显著上调,神经元细胞活力明显降低,LDH漏出率和细胞凋亡率显著增高。HGF预处理明显促进氧糖剥夺/再灌注损伤神经元的存活,降低LDH漏出率,最大效应剂量为80ng/mL。流式细胞术和Hoechst33258染色结果均显示,HGF（80ng/mL）显著降低氧糖剥夺/再灌注神经元的细胞凋亡率。此外,c-Met抑制剂SU11274（5μmol/L）完全阻断HGF的神经保护作用。结果表明,HGF对皮层神经元氧糖剥夺/再灌注损伤具有直接的保护作用,呈一定的剂量依赖关系,并能有效对抗神经元凋亡。     

肝细胞生长因子抗肾纤维化研究进展

慢性肾脏疾病患者的肾功能会随时间的推移而进行性恶化,肾实质细胞进行性丧失及细胞外基质蛋白过度沉积将导致肾纤维化形成,肾纤维化进行性发展将最终走向终末期肾衰竭。肝细胞生长因子(HGF)及其受体c-Met对肾发育和急性肾损伤后的肾脏再生修复具有重要作用,在慢性肾衰竭及肾纤维化时,HGF还具有营养肾脏及抗肾纤维化的作用。简要综述了HGF抑制肾纤维化形成的细胞分子机制的研究进展,提示HGF在治疗肾纤维化方面所具有的前景。     

c-Met与Fas在胃癌组织中的表达及其相关性

目的探讨c-Met和Fas在胃癌中的表达、临床意义及其相关性。方法采用免疫组化方法检测c-Met和Fas在正常胃黏膜（n=17）,胃癌旁组织（n=51）及胃癌组织（n=51）中的表达。结果在正常胃黏膜、胃癌旁组织及胃癌组织中,c-Met阳性率呈递增趋势,组间差异有统计学意义（χ^219.881,P〈0.01）;Fas阳性率有递减趋势,组间差异有统计学意义（χ^29.590,P〈0.01）。χ^2验显示c-Met在浸润深度和淋巴结转移组内阳性表达率组内差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）,而在年龄、性别和组织分型组内差异无统计学意义（P〉0.05）;Fas在浸润深度组内阳性表达率组内差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）,而在年龄、性别、组织分型和淋巴结转移组内差异无统计学意义（P〉0.05）。Spearman等级相关分析显示c-Met和Fas表达呈正相关（rs=0.599,P〈0.01）。结论c-Met过表达和Fas表达下调与胃癌的发生发展及浸润转移有关,c-Met表达可能是胃癌细胞逃逸Fas介导的细胞凋亡的一种机制。     

Molecular imaging of c-Met tyrosine kinase activity

The receptor tyrosine kinase c-Met and its ligand, hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF), modulate signaling cascades implicated in cellular proliferation, survival, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis. Therefore, dysregulation of HGF/c-Met signaling can compromise the cellular capacity to moderate these activities and can lead to tumorigenesis, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance in various human malignancies. To facilitate studies investigating HGF/c-Met receptor coupling or c-Met signaling events in real time and in living cells and animals, here we describe a genetically engineered reporter where bioluminescence can be used as a surrogate for c-Met tyrosine kinase activity. c-Met kinase activity in cultured cells and tumor xenografts was monitored quantitatively and dynamically in response to the activation or inhibition of the HGF/c-Met signaling pathway. Treatment of tumor-bearing animals with a c-Met inhibitor and the HGF neutralizing antibody stimulated the reporter’s bioluminescence activity in a dose-dependent manner and led to a regression of U-87 MG tumor xenografts. Results obtained from these studies provide unique insights into the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of agents that modulate c-Met activity and validate c-Met as a target for human glioblastoma therapy.     

Biphasic regulation of the NADPH oxidase by HGF/c-Met signaling pathway in primary mouse hepatocytes

Redox signaling is emerging as an essential mechanism in the regulation of biological activities of the cell. The HGF/c-Met signaling pathway has been implicated as a key regulator of the cellular redox homeostasis and oxidative stress. We previously demonstrated that genetic deletion of c-Met in hepatocytes disrupts redox homeostasis by a mechanism involving NADPH oxidase. Here, we were focused to address the mechanism of NADPH oxidase regulation by HGF/c-Met signaling in primary mouse hepatocytes and its relevance. HGF induced a biphasic mechanism of NADPH oxidase regulation. The first phase employed the rapid increase in production of ROS as signaling effectors to activate the Nrf2-mediated protective response resulting in up-regulation of the antioxidant proteins, such as NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase and γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase. The second phase operated under a prolonged HGF exposure, caused a suppression of the NADPH oxidase components, including NOX2, NOX4, p22 and p67, and was able to abrogate the TGFβ-induced ROS production and improve cell viability. In conclusion, HGF/c-Met induces a Nrf2-mediated protective response by a double mechanism driven by NADPH oxidase.     

Hepatocyte growth factor exerts a proliferative effect on oval cells through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a potent mitogen for a variety of cells including hepatocytes. While rat oval cells are supposed to be one of hepatic stem cells, biological effects of HGF on oval cells and their relevant signal transduction pathways remain to be determined. We sought to investigate them on OC/CDE22 rat oval cells, which are established from the liver of rats fed a choline-deficient/DL-ethionine-supplemented diet. The oval cells were cultured on fibronectin-coated dishes and stimulated with recombinant HGF, transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha), and thrombopoietin (TPO) under the serum-free medium condition. HGF treatment enhanced [3H]thymidine incorporation into oval cells in a dose-dependent manner. On the contrary, treatment with TGF-alpha or TPO had no significant effects on [3H]thymidine incorporation into the oval cells. c-Met protein was phosphorylated at the tyrosine residues after the HGF treatment. AKT, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), and p70(s6k) were simultaneously activated after the HGF stimulation, peaking at 30min after the treatment. The activation of AKT, p70(s6k), and ERK1/2 induced by HGF was abolished by pre-treatment with LY294002, a phosphoinositide 3-OH kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, and U0126, a mitogen-activated protein kinase/ERK kinase (MEK) inhibitor, respectively. When the cells were pre-treated with LY294002 prior to the HGF stimulation, the proliferative action of HGF was completely abrogated, implying that the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway is responsible for the biological effect of HGF. These in vitro data indicate that HGF exerts a proliferative action on hepatic oval cells via activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.     

Hepatocyte growth factor is constitutively produced by donor-derived bone marrow cells and promotes regeneration of pancreatic beta-cells

Recent studies have demonstrated that the transplantation of bone marrow cells following diabetes induced by streptozotocin can support the recovery of pancreatic β-cell mass and a partial reversal of hyperglycemia. To address this issue, we examined whether the c-Met/hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) signaling pathway was involved in the recovery of β-cell injury after bone marrow transplantation (BMT). In this model, donor-derived bone marrow cells were positive for HGF immunoreactivity in the recipient spleen, liver, lung, and pancreas as well as in the host hepatocytes. Indeed, plasma HGF levels were maintained at a high value. The frequency of c-Met expression and its proliferative activity and differentiative response in the pancreatic ductal cells in the BMT group were greater than those in the PBS-treated group, resulting in an elevated number of endogenous insulin-producing cells. The induction of the c-Met/HGF signaling pathway following BMT promotes pancreatic regeneration in diabetic rats.     

Hepatic stellate cell promoted hepatoma cell invasion via the HGF/c-Met signaling pathway regulated by p53

The biological behaviors of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are complex mainly due to heterogeneity of progressive genetic and epigenetic mutations as well as tumor environment. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/c-Met signaling pathway is regarded to be a prototypical example for stromal-epithelial interactions during developmental morphogenesis, wound healing, organ regeneration and cancer progression. And p53 plays as an important regulator of Met-dependent cell motility and invasion. Present study showed that 2 HCC cell lines, Hep3B and HepG2, displayed different invasive capacity when treated with HGF which was secreted by hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). We found that HGF promoted Hep3B cells invasion and migration as well as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) occurrence because Hep3B was p53 deficient, which leaded to the c-Met over-expression. Then we found that HGF/c-Met promoted Hep3B cells invasion and migration by upregulating Snail expression. In conclusion, HGF/c-Met signaling is enhanced by loss of p53 expression, resulting in increased ability of invasion and migration by upregulating the expression of Snail.     

Activated c-Met signals through PI3K with dramatic effects on cytoskeletal functions in small cell lung cancer

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive illness with early metastases. There are several receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) overexpressed in SCLC, including c-Met. c-Met contains an external semaphorin-like domain, a cytoplasmic juxtamembrane domain, tyrosine kinase domain and multiple tyrosines that bind to adapter molecules. We have previously reported that c-Met is abundantly expressed in the NCI-H69 SCLC cell line and now have determined the downstream effects of stimulating c-Met via its ligand hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). Utilizing unique phospho-specific antibodies generated against various tyrosines of c-Met, we show that Y1003 (binding site for c-Cb1 and a negative regulatory site), Y1313 (binding site for PI3K), Y1230/Y1234/Y1235 (autophosphorylation site), Y1349 (binding site for Grb2), Y1365 (important in cell morphogenesis) are phosphorylated in response to HGF (40 ng/ml, 7.5 min) in H69 cells. Since multiple biological and biochemical effects are transduced through the PI3K pathway, we determine the role of PI3K in the c-Met/HGF stimulation pathway. We initially determined that by inhibiting PI3K with LY294002 (50μM over 72 hours), there was at least a 55% decrease in viability of H69 cells. Since H69 SCLC cells form clusters in cell culture, we determined the effects of HGF and LY294002 on cell motility of the clusters by time-lapse video microscopy. In response to HGF, SCLC moved much faster and formed more clusters, and this was inhibited by LY294002. Finally, we determined the downstream signal transduction of HGF stimulation of c-Met with and without inhibition of c-Met (with geldanamycin, an anisamycin antibiotic that inhibits c-Met in SCLC) or PI3K (with LY294002). We show that association of c-Met with PI3K and GAB2 is diminished by inhibiting c-Met. In summary, activation of the c-Met pathway targets the PI3K pathway in SCLC and this may be an important therapeutic target.     

PKC controls HGF-dependent c-Met traffic, signalling and cell migration

The growth factor/receptor pair HGF/c-Met exerts control on proliferation, morphogenesis and motility, and through overexpression and mutation is implicated in cancer. Here we have investigated the relationship between receptor signalling and traffic, and its control by specific PKC isotypes. It is shown that c-Met signalling to the ERK cascade occurs within endosomal compartments and that it is in this compartment that PKCepsilon specifically exerts its control on the pathway with the consequent accumulation of ERK in focal complexes. These events are clearly separated from the subsequent microtubule-dependent sorting of c-Met to its perinuclear destination, which is shown to be under the control of PKCalpha. Thus while it is shown that traffic to endosomes is essential for HGF/c-Met to trigger an ERK response, the subsequent traffic and signalling of c-Met controlled by these two PKC isotypes are unconnected events. The dynamic properties conferred by the PKCepsilon control are shown to be essential for a normal HGF-dependent migratory response. Thus PKCs are shown to control both receptor traffic and signal traffic to relay HGF/c-Met responses.