a high risk of mortality. Circulating HGF has been also identified as a prognostic marker of severity in patients with hypertension. Circulating HGF has been also suggested as a precocious biomarker for the acute phase of bowel inflammation. Pharmacokinetics Exogenous HGF administered by intravenous injection is cleared rapidly from circulation by the liver, with a half-life of approximately 4 minutes. Modulators Dihexa is an orally active, centrally penetrant small-molecule compound that directly binds to HGF and potentiates its ability to activate its receptor, c-Met. It is a strong inducer of neurogenesis and is being studied for the potential treatment of Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Interactions Hepatocyte growth factor has been shown to interact with the protein product of the c-Met oncogene, identified as the HGF receptor (HGFR). Both overexpression of the Met/HGFR receptor protein and autocrine activation of Met/HGFR by simultaneous expression of the hepatocyte growth factor ligand have been implicated in oncogenesis. Hepatocyte growth factor interacts with the sulfated glycosaminoglycans heparan sulfate and dermatan sulfate. The interaction with heparan sulfate allows hepatocyte growth factor to form a complex with c-Met that is able to transduce intracellular signals leading to cell division and cell migration. See also Epidermal growth factor Insulin-like growth factor 1 Epithelial–mesenchymal transition Madin-Darby Canine Kidney Cells References Further reading External links Hepatocyte growth factor on the Atlas of Genetics and Oncology UCSD Signaling Gateway Molecule Page on HGF Growth factors Developmental genes and proteins Cytokines World Anti-Doping Agency prohibited substances