HGF and neoplasm: Uncleavable pro-HGF, generated by introducing a point mutation at the cleavage site (Arg494Gln), inhibits HGF-mediated cMET activation in vitro and local or systemic expression of pro-HGF suppresses tumor growth and prevents metastatic dissemination in mice.19 Mutations near the pocket region of the HGF protein (D672N, V495G, V495A, G498I and G498V) inhibit cMET activation because the N-terminal active pocket present in the HGF β-chain is required to stabilize interactions with cMET.