Overview:

MET is a proto-oncogene that encodes a transmembrane growth factor receptor which is a heterodimer of two disulphide linked chains of 50 kDa (alpha) and 145 kDa (beta). MET is widely expressed in the kidney, brain, lung, skin, and embryonic tissue (1). Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) binds to MET and activates its tyrosine kinase activity. MET is overexpressed and activated in a variety of human cancers including pancreatic, colon, gastric, cervical and ovarian cancers and has been shown to be involved in tumor cell migration and invasion (2). The fusion protein of TFG-MET has been found in the spindle cell sarcoma (3).

Gene Aliases:

TFG: HMSNP; SPG57; TF6
MET: HGFR, RCCP2

Genbank Number:

NM_001195478
NM_000245

References:

1. Giordano, S. et al: Biosynthesis of the protein encoded by the c-met proto-oncogene. Oncogene. 1989 Nov;4(11):1383-8.

2. Iyer, A. et al: Structure, tissue-specific expression, and transforming activity of the mouse met protooncogene. Cell Growth Differ. 1990 Feb;1(2):87-95.

3. Flucke U, et al: TFG-MET fusion in an infantile spindle cell sarcoma with neural features. Genes Chromosomes Cancer. 2017 Sep;56(9):663-667.