Tsujii M, Kawano S, Tsuji S, Ito T, Hayashi N, Horimoto M, Mita E, Nagano K, Masuda E, Hayashi N
First Department of Medicine, Osaka University School of Medicine, Suita, Japan.
Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1994 Apr 15;200(1):536-41. doi: 10.1006/bbrc.1994.1481.
The aim of the present study was to evaluate messenger RNA expression of c-met, a hepatocyte growth factor receptor gene, after gastric mucosal injury in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fasted for 24 hours, received 0.6 N hydrochloric acid (HCl), and served for polyadenylated RNA extraction from the oxyntic gastric mucosa. The transcripts of rat c-met gene were analyzed by reverse-transcript polymerase chain reaction and Northern blotting. Although it was detected even before the HCl administration, the c-met expression increased 6, 24 and 48 hours after the HCl administration. Thereafter, gastric mucosal injury diminished and the c-met expression declined. Hepatocyte growth factor reportedly plays an important role in gastric cell proliferation. The increased c-met expression indicates that this gene may participate in the healing process of gastric mucosa after injury.
