overexpression of human wild-type RON causes the formation of lung tumors with unique biological characteristics in vivo

Transgenic mice in which surfactant protein C promoter was used to express human wild-type RON in distal lung epithelial cells developed multiple RON-expressing lung adenomas with distinct morphology & growth pattern which progressed to adenocarcinoma.

High RON expression is associated with small and non-small cell lung cancers.

Elevated RON expression may contribute to the occurrence, progression and metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC), inferring that it could be useful as a new prognostic indicator for patients with NSCLC.

Data shows that MET and RON are regulated by PAX8 in non-small cell lung cancer.

Study identified four novel uniquely spliced RON transcripts in small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) and Non-SCLC cell lines.

Study conclude that the splice variants of RON lacking exon 11 and exons 11-13 were detected in several lung cancer cell lines. Novel variant formed by skipping exons 11-13, the sequence of which code for transmembrane region, is predicted to code for a truncated isoform that may be secreted out.

OPN promotes the aggressiveness of non-small-cell lung cancer cells through the activation of the RON tyrosine kinase.