Antibodies to the retina N-acetylgalactosaminylphosphotransferase modulate N-cadherin-mediated adhesion and uncouple the N-cadherin transferase complex from the actin-containing cytoskeleton.
Embryonic chick neural retina cells have at their surface an N-Acetylgalactosaminylphosphotransferase (GalNAcPTase) which is associated with, and glycosylates, the calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion molecule, N-cadherin (Balsamo, J., and J. Lilien. 1990. J. Biol. Chem. 265:2923-2928). In this manuscript, we demonstrate that antibodies directed against the GalNAcPTase, as well as anti-N-cadherin antibodies, are able to inhibit adhesion of chick neural retina cells to a cell monolayer, to immobilized N-cadherin, or to immobilized anti-N-cadherin antibody. These results indicate that anti-GalNAcPTase antibodies modulate the function of N-cadherin, interfering with the formation of N-cadherin-mediated adhesions. We also demonstrate that actin is associated with the N-cadherin/GalNAcPTase complex and that binding of anti-GalNAcPTase antibodies to intact cells results in dissociation of actin from the complex. We suggest that the GalNAcPTase modulates N-cadherin function by altering its interaction with the cytoskeleton.
Balsamo
J
J
Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, South Carolina 29634.
Thiboldeaux
R
R
Swaminathan
N
N
Lilien
J
J
D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies; D015820:Cadherins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002642:Chick Embryo; D003571:Cytochalasin B / Q000494:pharmacology; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism*; D010770:Phosphotransferases / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D012160:Retina / Q000201:enzymology*; D017855:Transferases (Other Substituted Phosphate Groups); D014461:Ultracentrifugation
D000199:Actins; D000906:Antibodies; D015820:Cadherins; D003571:Cytochalasin B; D010770:Phosphotransferases; D017855:Transferases (Other Substituted Phosphate Groups); C063044:UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine-N-acetylgalactosaminylphosphotransferase; D002118:Calcium