TY - JOUR
T1 - Multiple myeloma cells catalyze hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) activation by secreting the serine protease HGF-activator
AU - Tjin, Esther P. M.
AU - Derksen, Patrick W. B.
AU - Kataoka, Hiroaki
AU - Spaargaren, Marcel
AU - Pals, Steven T.
PY - 2004
Y1 - 2004
N2 - Multiple myeloma (MM) is a common hematologic neoplasm consisting of malignant plasma cells, which expand in the bone marrow. A potential key signal in the evolution of MM is hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), which acts as a potent paracrine and/or autocrine growth factor and survival factor for MM cells. Proteolytic conversion of HGF into its active form is a critical limiting step in HGF/MET signaling. Here, we show that malignant MM plasma cells convert HGF into its active form and secrete HGF-activator (HGFA), a serine protease specific for HGF activation. By using serine protease inhibitors and neutralizing antibodies, we demonstrate that HGFA produced by the MM cells is responsible for their ability to catalyze HGF activation. We, therefore, suggest that autocatalyzation of HGF conversion by MM cells is an important step in HGF/MET-induced myeloma growth and survival, which may have implications for the management of this incurable form of cancer. (C) 2004 by The American Society of Hematology
AB - Multiple myeloma (MM) is a common hematologic neoplasm consisting of malignant plasma cells, which expand in the bone marrow. A potential key signal in the evolution of MM is hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), which acts as a potent paracrine and/or autocrine growth factor and survival factor for MM cells. Proteolytic conversion of HGF into its active form is a critical limiting step in HGF/MET signaling. Here, we show that malignant MM plasma cells convert HGF into its active form and secrete HGF-activator (HGFA), a serine protease specific for HGF activation. By using serine protease inhibitors and neutralizing antibodies, we demonstrate that HGFA produced by the MM cells is responsible for their ability to catalyze HGF activation. We, therefore, suggest that autocatalyzation of HGF conversion by MM cells is an important step in HGF/MET-induced myeloma growth and survival, which may have implications for the management of this incurable form of cancer. (C) 2004 by The American Society of Hematology
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2003-12-4386
DO - https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2003-12-4386
M3 - Article
C2 - 15172968
SN - 0006-4971
VL - 104
SP - 2172
EP - 2175
JO - Blood
JF - Blood
IS - 7
ER -