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To gain insight into liver regenerationmechanisms in fulminant hepatic failure, we comparedgene expression of hepatocyte growth factor, itsreceptor c-met, c-myc, and albumin in human normal (4cases) and fulminant (14 cases) livers by reversetranscription-polymerase chain reaction. In normallivers, hepatocyte growth factor gene was not expressed,whereas c-met, c-myc and albumin genes were always expressed. In fulminant hepatic failure,hepatocyte growth factor gene was expressed in 1 of 14cases, c-met in none of 14 cases, c-myc in 10 of 14cases, and albumin in 3 of 14 cases. Byimmunofluorescence, c-met protein was revealed in normal but not infulminant hepatic failure liver tissue. Liver tissue isunlikely to account for high hepatocyte growth factorplasma levels typical for fulminant hepatic failure. Lack of its receptor (c-met)expression may explain a poor response of fulminanthepatic failure livers to exogenous hepatocyte growthfactor that normally promotes liver growth andregeneration.