HGF and ligation of alphavbeta5 integrin induce a novel, cancer cell-specific gene expression required for cell scattering.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), a cytokine involved in tumorigenesis and most metastases, initiates cell migration by binding to the protooncogene c-Met receptor. In epithelial carcinoma cells, c-Met activation causes the breakdown of E-cadherin cell-cell contacts leading to cell spreading. While the breakdown of E-cadherin contacts is immediate, HGF-induced migration requires transcription.