The expression of nectin-1alpha in normal human skin and various skin tumours.
BACKGROUND
A novel cell-cell adhesion system that consists of nectin and afadin has been identified at cadherin-based cell-cell adherens junctions. Nectin is a Ca2+-independent homophilic and heterophilic cell adhesion molecule that belongs to the immunoglobulin superfamily. Nectin has recently been shown to serve as an alpha-herpesvirus entry and cell-cell spread mediator. In spite of the ubiquitous expression of nectin-1alpha, its detailed localization in human skin has not been examined so far.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the localization of nectin-1alpha in normal human skin and the alteration of its expression in malignant skin tumours.


METHODS
Immunohistochemistry was employed to determine the expression of nectin-1alpha and other adhesion molecules.


RESULTS
We detected nectin-1alpha in normal human epidermis, follicles and eccrine ducts. Nectin-1alpha was colocalized with E-cadherin at cell-cell adherens junctions of the epidermis. The concentration of the nectin-afadin system at cell-cell adherens junctions was reduced in the early stage of malignant transformation of keratinocytes, such as in basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas, where the cadherin-catenin system was preserved. Nectin-1alpha at cell-cell adherens junctions was reduced in human epithelial cancer cells located at the advancing border of the tumour.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results showed that nectin-1alpha is located at cell-cell adherens junctions in human skin and that reduction of nectin-1alpha at cell-cell adherens junctions may be involved in the invasion of squamous cell tumours.
Matsushima
H
H
Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana-cho, Chuou-ku, Chiba 260-8677, Japan.
Utani
A
A
Endo
H
H
Matsuura
H
H
Kakuta
M
M
Nakamura
Y
Y
Matsuyoshi
N
N
Matsui
C
C
Nakanishi
H
H
Takai
Y
Y
Shinkai
H
H
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001913:Bowen's Disease / Q000378:metabolism; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism*; D004439:Eccrine Glands / Q000378:metabolism; D004817:Epidermis / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016547:Kinesins; D008297:Male; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008875:Middle Aged; D009218:Myosins; D000075983:Nectins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*
C095516:AFDN protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D000075983:Nectins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; C108835:afadin; D009218:Myosins; D016547:Kinesins