E-Cadherin-dependent growth suppression is mediated by the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27(KIP1).
Recent studies have demonstrated the importance of E-cadherin, a homophilic cell-cell adhesion molecule, in contact inhibition of growth of normal epithelial cells. Many tumor cells also maintain strong intercellular adhesion, and are growth-inhibited by cell- cell contact, especially when grown in three-dimensional culture. To determine if E-cadherin could mediate contact-dependent growth inhibition of nonadherent EMT/6 mouse mammary carcinoma cells that lack E-cadherin, we transfected these cells with an exogenous E-cadherin expression vector. E-cadherin expression in EMT/6 cells resulted in tighter adhesion of multicellular spheroids and a reduced proliferative fraction in three-dimensional culture. In addition to increased cell-cell adhesion, E-cadherin expression also resulted in dephosphorylation of the retinoblastoma protein, an increase in the level of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27(kip1) and a late reduction in cyclin D1 protein. Tightly adherent spheroids also showed increased levels of p27 bound to the cyclin E-cdk2 complex, and a reduction in cyclin E-cdk2 activity. Exposure to E-cadherin-neutralizing antibodies in three-dimensional culture simultaneously prevented adhesion and stimulated proliferation of E-cadherin transfectants as well as a panel of human colon, breast, and lung carcinoma cell lines that express functional E-cadherin. To test the importance of p27 in E-cadherin-dependent growth inhibition, we engineered E-cadherin-positive cells to express inducible p27. By forcing expression of p27 levels similar to those observed in aggregated cells, the stimulatory effect of E-cadherin-neutralizing antibodies on proliferation could be inhibited. This study demonstrates that E-cadherin, classically described as an invasion suppressor, is also a major growth suppressor, and its ability to inhibit proliferation involves upregulation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27.
St Croix
B
B
Division of Cancer Biology Research, Sunnybrook Health Science Center, University of Toronto, Toronto-Sunnybrook Regional Cancer Center, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4N 3M5.
Sheehan
C
C
Rak
J W
JW
Flørenes
V A
VA
Slingerland
J M
JM
Kerbel
R S
RS
D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology*; D019938:Cyclin D1 / Q000378:metabolism; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D051379:Mice; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D010766:Phosphorylation; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins
D015820:Cadherins; C493961:Cdkn1b protein, mouse; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D019938:Cyclin D1; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases