Cadherins and catenins: role in signal transduction and tumor progression.
Cadherins are transmembrane cell-cell adhesion molecules which are connected to the cytoskeleton by association with the cytoplasmic proteins, alpha-, beta-, and, gamma-catenin (plakoglobin). Beta-catenin has an additional role in the wnt signal transduction pathway in which it transmitts signals to the cell nucleus in complexes with transcription factors of the LEF-1/TCF family. The cell adhesion function of the epithelial E-cadherin is frequently disturbed in carcinomas either by downregulation or by mutation of the E-cadherin/catenin genes. The signaling function of beta-catenin is activated in tumors by mutations of beta-catenin or of the tumor suppressor gene product APC. In this review I will give an introduction to the structure and function of the cadherin/catenin complex and summarize findings which support a decisive role of these components in the development of cancer.
Behrens
J
J
Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany.
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000502:physiology*; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
D015820:Cadherins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins