title: Zippers make signals: NCAM-mediated molecular interactions and signal transduction.
abstract: The neural cell adhesion molecule, NCAM, is involved in multiple cis- and trans-homophilic interactions (NCAM binding to NCAM) thereby facilitating cell-cell adhesion through the formation of zipper-like NCAM-complexes. NCAM is also involved in heterophilic interactions with a number of proteins and extracellular matrix molecules. Some of these heterophilic interactions are mutually exclusive, and some interfere with or are dependent on homophilic NCAM interactions. Furthermore, both homo- and heterophilic interactions are modulated by posttranslational modifications of NCAM. Heterophilic NCAM-interactions initiate several intracellular signal transduction pathways ultimately leading to biological responses involving cellular differentiation, proliferation, migration and survival. Both homo- and heterophilic NCAM-interactions can be mimicked by synthetic peptides, which can induce NCAM-like signalling, and in vitro and in vivo studies suggest that such NCAM mimetics may be used for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.
authors.affiliation: Protein Laboratory, Institute of Molecular Pathology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Peter S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Walmod
authors.forename: Kateryna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kolkova
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Berezin
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bock
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007536:Isomerism; D008958:Models, Molecular; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules