title: Coordinate recruitment of E-cadherin and ALCAM to cell-cell contacts by alpha-catenin.
abstract: Here we report on the role of alpha-catenin in the cellular localization of activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule, ALCAM, and cadherin-mediated cell adhesion in human prostate cancer cells. Cell lines that have a functional E-cadherin-mediated cell adhesion (DU-145 and LNCaP) show ALCAM staining at cell-cell contacts. In contrast, in cell lines that lack alpha-catenin expression (ALVA-31, PC-3, and PPC-1), E-cadherin-mediated adhesion is disturbed and ALCAM staining is cytoplasmic. A role of alpha-catenin in the recruitment of E-cadherin and ALCAM to cell-cell contacts was established by transfection of an alpha-N-catenin construct into cell lines ALVA-31 and PC-3. This resulted not only in the correct assembly of E-cadherin/alpha-catenin complexes at the cell membrane but also in localization of ALCAM to cell-cell contacts, indicating that indeed alpha-catenin affects ALCAM localization.
authors.affiliation: Urology Research Laboratory, University Hospital Nijmegen, Nijmegen, 6500 HB, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tomita
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van Bokhoven
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bussemakers
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Schalken
mesh_terms: D020410:Activated-Leukocyte Cell Adhesion Molecule / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D051178:alpha Catenin
chemical_list: D020410:Activated-Leukocyte Cell Adhesion Molecule; C495273:CTNNA1 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D051178:alpha Catenin