In order to validate the impact of HGF promoter methylation on HGF expression, we determined promoter methylation status, mRNA and protein expression in 5 NSCLC epithelial cell lines (A549, A549/DDP, HCC827, H460 and H1975) and in 2 normal lung epithelial cell lines (16HBE and BEAS-2B). Here, HGF is linked to non-small cell lung carcinoma.