title: Mouse proximal tubular cell-cell adhesion inhibits apoptosis by a cadherin-dependent mechanism.
abstract: Adhesion of epithelial cells to matrix is known to inhibit apoptosis. However, the role of cell-cell adhesion in mediating cell survival remains uncertain. Primary cultures of mouse proximal tubular (MPT) cells were used to examine the role of cell-cell adhesion in promoting survival. When MPT cells were deprived of both cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesion, they died by apoptosis. However, when incubated in agarose-coated culture dishes (to prevent cell-matrix adhesion) and at high cell density (to allow cell-cell interactions), MPT cells adhered to one another and remained viable. Expression of E-cadherin among suspended, aggregating cells increased with time. A His-Ala-Val (HAV)-containing peptide that inhibits homophilic E-cadherin binding prevented cell-cell aggregation and promoted apoptosis of MPT cells in suspension. By contrast, inhibition of potential beta(1)-integrin-mediated interactions between cells in suspension did not prevent either aggregation or survival of suspended cells. Aggregation of cells in suspension activated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), an event that was markedly reduced by the presence of the HAV peptide. LY-294002, an inhibitor of PI3K, also inhibited survival of suspended cells. In summary, we provide novel evidence that MPT cells, when deprived of normal cell-matrix interactions, can adhere to one another in a cadherin-dependent fashion and remain viable. Survival of aggregated cells depends on activation of PI3K.
authors.affiliation: Renal Section, Department of Medicine, Evans Department of Clinical Research, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bergin
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Levine
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lieberthal
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002867:Chromones / Q000494:pharmacology; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D007687:Kidney Tubules, Proximal / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009025:Morpholines / Q000494:pharmacology; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D002867:Chromones; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D009025:Morpholines; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; C085911:2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one