Regenerative Medicine for Sclerotic Disorders

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) was discovered in 1984 as a molecular entity of hepatic regeneration factor, which had long been sought after. In ensuing studies, HGF has been proven to enhance the growth and motility of hepatocytes and other functional cells and to induce morphogenesis represented by tubular structures. Furthermore, HGF is endowed with potent anti-apoptotic activity, thereby preventing various tissue injuries. HGF has been demonstrated in a wide variety of animal disease models to be remarkably effective in the prevention and treatment of acute and chronic organ disorders. It has marked curative/ ameliorative effects in chronic diseases, especially such sclerotic disorders as liver cirrhosis, renal failure, nephrosclerosis, lung fibrosis and cardiomyopathy for which there is no definitive treatment to date. The remarkable effectiveness of HGF stems from its ability as a tissue-organizing molecule to provide functional improvement by inhibiting fibrosis and reconstructing normal tissues, as well as from its potent anti-apoptotic activity. These show that HGF is an intrinsic tissue repair factor.