Transformation of cell adhesion properties by exogenously introduced E-cadherin cDNA.
E-cadherin is a cell surface glycoprotein responsible for Ca2+-dependent intercellular adhesion between epithelial cells; it is also called uvomorulin, L-CAM (ref. 3), cell-CAM 120/80 (ref.4) or Arc-1 (ref. 5). Because blocking the action of E-cadherin by monoclonal antibodies causes dispersion of compact cell colonies, this molecule is thought to be an important factor for maintenance of multicellular systems. To demonstrate directly that E-cadherin is involved in cell-cell adhesion, we cloned full-length cDNA encoding E-cadherin from F9 cells and introduced it into L fibroblasts deficient in E-cadherin. These L cells acquire strong Ca2+-dependent aggregating activity by expressing the E-cadherin derived from the introduced cDNA and were morphologically transformed so as to form colonies in which cells were tightly connected to each other.
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015820:Cadherins; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002460:Cell Line; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics*; D004274:DNA, Recombinant; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D007739:L Cells / Q000166:cytology; D051379:Mice; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D013724:Teratoma; D014162:Transfection; D014170:Transformation, Genetic
D015820:Cadherins; D004274:DNA, Recombinant; D006023:Glycoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004247:DNA; D002118:Calcium