Effect of HGF in Proliferation, Dispersion and Migration of Hypopharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is known to stimulate motility, invasiveness, proliferation, and morphogenesis of endothelial cells. Recent reports revealed that this growth factor is also related to tumor invasion and metastasis. We examined the role of HGF/c-Met on the proliferation, dispersion and migration of FaDu cell, a hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma cell line. MATERIALS AND METHOD: We performed RT-PCR and Western blot in FaDu. Proliferation of the FaDu cells was assayed by counting the number of cells after treatment by HGF of different concentrations of 0, 10, 30 ng/mL. Dispersion of the cells was observed by measuring the separation and morphologic changes of cells after the colony of FaDu cells was formed in the media and then treated with HGF of 10 ng/mL or 30 ng/mL for 24 hours. Tumor cell migration was assessed by wound healing assay. Lastly, we examined the enhancement of HGF production in human fibroblast (MRC-5) by putative inducer secreted from FaDu cells. RESULTS: The expresssion of c-Met mRNA and protein was detected in the hypopharyngeal cell line while that of HGF was not. Exogenous HGF significantly enhanced the growth of FaDu in a dose-dependent manner 30 ng/ml (p<0.05). HGF stimulated the dispersion and enhanced the migration of cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner (p<0.05). HGF produced by human stromal fibroblast (MRC-5) was increased by a certain inducer originated from FaDu cells (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that HGF may play an important role in the progression of hypopharyngeal cancer through the enhancement of proliferation, dispersion and migration.