Targeting Met:
Inhibiting tumor cell growth and invasion

Met

Met signaling can lead to invasive cancer growth.^1,2 Met is primarily activated through binding of its ligand, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), also known as scatter factor (SF).^1,2 Met and/or HGF/SF expression in a variety of tumor types correlates with worse prognosis.^1,2 Met signaling can be enhanced in tumor cells through overexpression of Met protein (with or without gene amplification), mutations in the gene encoding MET, and/or increased levels of active HGF/SF.^1,2

Click here to view a larger version of this image

Met signals predominantly through the adapter proteins Gab1 and Grb2.¹ Pathways activated by Met include Ras/MAPK, Rac/Rho, and PI3K/Akt.^1,2 Through these key pathways, Met activation in tumor cells may lead to:

• Stimulation of uncontrolled cell proliferation^1,2
• Promotion of cell survival under environmental/therapeutic stress^1,2
• Modification of cell-cell adhesion and induction of motility and invasion^1,2

References:

1.

Birchmeier C, Birchmeier W, Gherardi E, Vande Woude GF. Met, metastasis, motility and more. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2003;4:915-925.

2.

Abounader R, Laterra J. Scatter factor/hepatocyte growth factor in brain tumor growth and angiogenesis. Neuro Oncol. 2005;7:436-451.