title: Cadmium (Cd2+) disrupts Ca(2+)-dependent cell-cell junctions and alters the pattern of E-cadherin immunofluorescence in LLC-PK1 cells.
abstract: Recent findings from our laboratories have shown that Cd2+ has relatively specific damaging effects on the adhering and occluding junctions in the established porcine renal epithelial cell line, LLC-PK1. Results of the present studies show that the junction-perturbing effects of Cd2+ in LLC-PK1 cells are more pronounced when Cd2+ is applied to the basolateral cell surface than when it is applied to the apical surface, and that the severity of the effects is inversely related to the concentration of Ca2+ in the medium. Additional results show that exposure to sublethal concentrations of Cd2+ decreases the amount of E-cadherin that is associated with cell-cell contacts. These results suggest that Cd2+ damages Ca(2+)-dependent cell-cell junctions in LLC-PK1 cells by interacting with E-cadherin or a similar Ca(2+)-sensitive site that is oriented toward the basolateral cell surface.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, Downers Grove, IL 60515.
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Prozialeck
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Niewenhuis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D002104:Cadmium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007700:Kinetics
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D002104:Cadmium; D002118:Calcium