Ksp-cadherin is a functional cell-cell adhesion molecule related to LI-cadherin.
Ksp- and LI-cadherin are structurally homologous proteins coexpressed with E-cadherin in renal and intestinal epithelia, respectively. Whereas LI-cadherin has been shown to mediate Ca2+-dependent homotypic cell-cell adhesion independent of stable interactions with the cytoskeleton, little is known about the physiological role of Ksp-cadherin. To analyze its potential adhesive and morphoregulatory functions, we expressed murine Ksp-cadherin in CHO cells. In this report, we show that Ksp-cadherin induces homotypic and Ca2+-dependent cell-cell adhesion that can be specifically blocked with antibodies raised against the cadherin repeats EC1 and EC2. Ksp-cadherin mediates about the same quantitative adhesive effect (aggregation index) as LI- and E-cadherin. However, the cellular phenotype induced by Ksp-cadherin resembles more closely that of LI- than E-cadherin. This could reflect our observation, that Ksp-cadherin, as well as LI-cadherin, does not directly interact with beta-catenin. In conclusion, both cadherins are thus not only structurally but also functionally related and may share other functions within their respective epithelia.
Wendeler
M W
MW
Institute of Laboratory Medicine and Biochemistry, Virchow-Hospital of Charité Medical School, Humboldt University of Berlin, D-13353 Berlin, Germany.
Praus
M
M
Jung
R
R
Hecking
M
M
Metzig
C
C
Gessner
R
R
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000494:pharmacology; D016466:CHO Cells; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000502:physiology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D002449:Cell Aggregation / Q000502:physiology; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology*; D048429:Cell Size / Q000502:physiology; D006224:Cricetinae; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary / Q000502:physiology; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism; D051176:beta Catenin
D000906:Antibodies; C490584:CDH17 protein, human; C495267:CTNNB1 protein, mouse; D015820:Cadherins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C491946:Cdh16 protein, mouse; C490585:Cdh17 protein, mouse; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D051176:beta Catenin; C067802:intestinal peptide-proton cotransporter