Role of macrophage-stimulating protein and its receptor, RON tyrosine kinase, in ciliary motility.

The soluble sema domain of the RON receptor inhibits macrophage-stimulating protein-induced receptor activation.

RON is a receptor tyrosine kinase of the MET family that is involved in cell proliferation, cell survival, and cell motility in both normal and disease states. Macrophage-stimulating protein (MSP) is the RON ligand whose binding to RON causes receptor activation. RON is a trans-membrane heterodimer comprised of one alpha- and one beta-chain originating from a single-chain precursor and held tog...

Apical oxidative hyaluronan degradation stimulates airway ciliary beating via RHAMM and RON.

Hyaluronan (HA) is synthesized in high-molecular-weight form at the apical pole of airway epithelial cells, covering the luminal surface. When human airway epithelial cells grown and redifferentiated at the air-liquid interface (ALI) were exposed to xanthine/xanthine oxidase (X/XO), ciliary beat frequency (CBF) increased. This effect was blocked by superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase. Inhib...

Inhibition of TLR4-Induced IkB Kinase Activity by the RON Receptor Tyrosine Kinase and Its Ligand, Macrophage-Stimulating Protein

The macrophage stimulating protein/Ron pathway as a potential therapeutic target to impede multiple mechanisms involved in breast cancer progression.

Macrophage Stimulating Protein (MSP) is the only known ligand for the receptor tyrosine kinase Ron. The MSP/Ron pathway is involved in several important biological processes, including macrophage activity, wound healing, and epithelial cell behavior. A role for MSP/Ron in breast cancer has recently been elucidated, wherein this pathway regulates tumor growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Here,...

Activation of the RON receptor tyrosine kinase protects murine macrophages from apoptotic death induced by bacterial lipopolysaccharide.

RON is a receptor tyrosine kinase activated by macrophage-stimulating protein. We demonstrate here that RON activation inhibits LPS-induced apoptosis of mouse peritoneal macrophages and Raw264.7 cells expressing RON or a constitutively active RON mutant. The antiapoptotic effect of RON was accompanied with the inhibition of LPS-induced production of nitric oxide (NO), a molecule responsible for...