title: Expression of the cell adhesion molecules N-CAM and L1 in B16 melanoma cells.
abstract: The cell adhesion molecules N-CAM and L1 are important for cell-cell recognition and cell migration and so may be involved in the metastatic process. We have studied the biosynthesis of N-CAM and L1 in the B16 melanoma cell lines B16-F1 and B16-F10 which differ in metastatic capacity. N-CAM was synthesised as two glycosylated polypeptides with Mr of 150,000 and 210,000; L1 was synthesised as one polypeptide with Mr of 215,000. In fetal neurons N-CAM is synthesised as a 135,000 and a 200,000 Mr polypeptide and L1 as a 200,000 Mr polypeptide. Thus, the Mr of N-CAM and L1 in tumour cells appeared to be 10,000-15,000 higher than in the normal cells. L1 was phosphorylated in the tumour cells as in neurons. The tumour cells also phosphorylated the 210,000 Mr N-CAM polypeptide, whereas no phosphorylation of the 150,000 Mr polypeptide was observed. In neuronal cells both the corresponding polypeptides are phosphorylated and thus the biosynthesis of N-CAM in tumour cells seem to differ from that in neuronal cells with regard to phosphorylation. No differences in biosynthesis of N-CAM or L1 were apparent between the two tumour cell lines, B16-F1 and B16-F10.
mesh_terms: D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation
chemical_list: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules