Differential regulation of hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor by cell surface proteoglycans and free glycosaminoglycan chains

Hepatocyte growth factor interacts with both heparan and dermatan sulphates, in addition to its specific signalling receptor, Met. However, the extent of glycosaminoglycan involvement in its biological activity remains uncertain. We have investigated the effects of exogenous glycosaminoglycan addition upon hepatocyte growth factor-stimulated motility of Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. Exogenous heparan/dermatan sulphate chains behave similarly as either potentiators or inhibitors of cell motility (depending upon the assay). Specific heparan sulphate oligosaccharides, of octasaccharide or larger, elicit similar effects, though with reduced potency. Additionally we have investigated the motility of cells made completely deficient in functional proteoglycans by metabolic inhibition of glycosaminoglycan sulphation, using chlorate. Such cells are completely unresponsive to hepatocyte growth factor, both in terms of downstream phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase and actual cell motility, though they do remain responsive to phorbol ester. Interestingly, although cell responsiveness to hepatocyte growth factor is not restored by exogenous heparan/dermatan sulphate chains, it is by an immobilised heparan sulphate proteoglycan substratum. These findings suggest that hepatocyte growth factor activity is not only critically dependent upon the presence of glycosaminoglycan, but specifically requires an intact proteoglycan structure located in close apposition to cell surface Met.