The c-Met protein is a receptor tyrosine kinase encoded by the c-Met proto-oncogene. c-Met, also known as HGF receptor or SF receptor, is activated by hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) or scatter factor (SF), and is composed of alpha and beta subunits linked by disulfide bonds. Dysregulated c-Met expression has been detected at both protein and mRNA levels in a variety of human carcinomas and sarcomas. Up to a 2.5-fold increase in mRNA expression has been reported in colorectal tumor tissues, and upregulation of the c-Met protein in association with increasingly malignant behavior has been described in prostate cancer, cutaneous malignant melanoma, and breast cancer. Recent studies using monoclonal Ms anti-c-Met (clone: 3D4) for immunohistochemistry in lymph node-negative breast carcinoma tissues demonstrated that high levels of c-Met expression are associated with poor patient clinical outcome, as assessed over 20-40 years of follow-up. Further, antibodies against the intracellular but not the extracellular domain of c-Met were prognostic, suggesting that overexpression of the cytoplasmic tail of c-Met may play an important role in breast cancer progression.
Intended for research use only. Not for use in human, therapeutic, or diagnostic applications.