Caspase cleavage of the MET receptor generates an HGF interfering fragment

The MET tyrosine kinase receptor activated by its ligand HGF/SF, induces several cellular responses, including survival. Nonetheless, the MET receptor is cleaved in stress conditions by caspases within its intracellular region, generating a 40 kDa fragment, p40 MET, with pro-apoptotic properties. Here, we established that this cleavage splits the receptor at the juxtamembrane ESVD site, causing the concomitant generation of p100 MET, corresponding to the entire extracellular region of the MET receptor still spanning the membrane. This fragment is able to bind HGF/SF and to prevent HGF-dependent signaling downstream of full MET, demonstrating its function as a decoy receptor.