It has been proposed that the metastasis suppressor CD82/KAI-1, which is a member of the tetraspanin superfamily, regulates biological activity by associating with cell surface receptors or proteins. We show a novel association between CD82 and the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) receptor c-Met. Although ectopic expression of CD82 in nonsmall cell lung carcinoma cells did not affect the tyrosine phosphorylation of c-Met, these cells showed significant suppression of HGF-induced lamellipodial protrusion and cell migration. CD82 selectively attenuated c-Met signaling via the Ras-Cdc42/Rac and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/ Cdc42/Rac pathways. In contrast, another c-Met signaling pathway that involves phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/mitogen activated protein kinase was not affected by CD82. Signaling adapter proteins for c-Met, such as Grb2 and p85, exhibited reduced association with c-Met in cells that ectopically expressed CD82. These results indicate that the CD82-c-Met complex inhibits HGF-induced cancer cell migration by the inactivation of small GTP-binding proteins of the Rho family via c-Met adapter proteins. ' 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.Key words: CD82/KAI-1; HGF; c-Met; cell migration; signaling Invasion and metastasis are characteristic features of malignant tumors. Cancer cell invasion depends on a complex series of steps consisting of cell migration, cell adhesion and matrix degradation. Of these events, cancer cell migration is essential for invasion and metastasis.The c-Met protein, which is the receptor for hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), is crucial for the control of tumor cell invasive growth. 1,2 A direct role for c-Met in the metastatic behavior of human tumors has been proposed. 3,4 For example, in colorectal carcinoma, amplification of the Met gene provides a selective advantage that favors metastasis in the liver. 5 The carboxy-terminal domain of the c-Met receptor includes 2 critical tyrosine residues, Y1349 and Y1356, which upon phosphorylation form a multifunctional docking site for multiple transducers and adapters. The adapter proteins growth factor receptorbound protein 2 (Grb2) and GRB-associated binder 1 (Gab1) are essential for the initiation of signaling pathways for various downstream targets. 6,7 Among these downstream targets, the Ras-and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-dependent pathways are required to trigger cell proliferation, motility and survival. 8,9 Tetraspanins, or TM4SF proteins, compose a large group of cell surface transmembrane proteins, some of which can form complexes with integrins. Several tetraspanins appear to be particularly relevant to tumor cell metastasis. 10,11 CD82/KAI-1, which is a member of the tetraspanin superfamily, was originally identified as an accessory molecule in T-cell activation. 12 The role of CD82 in cancer progression was discovered during a genetic screen to identify metastasis suppressor genes. 13 Ample evidence exists to suggest that CD82/KAI1 acts as a broad-spectrum suppressor of invasion and me...