title: Conversion of cadherin isoforms in cultured human gastric carcinoma cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the expression of cadherin isoforms in cultured human gastric carcinoma cells and its regulation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expressions of cell adhesion molecules (including E-cadherin, N-cadherin, alpha-catenin, beta-catenin) and cadherin transcription factors including snail, slug and twist were determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR), immunoblotting and immunofluorescence in SV40-immortalized human gastric cell line Ges-1 and human gastric cancer cell lines MGC-803, BGC-823 and SGC-7901.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All cell lines expressed N-cadherin, but not E-cadherin. N-cadherin immunofluorescence was detected at cell membranous adherents junctions where co-localization with immunofluorescent staining of inner surface adhesion proteins alpha- and beta-catenins was observed. The transformed Ges-1 and gastric cancer cell lines all expressed transcription factors (snail, slug and twist) which inhibited the expression of E-cadherin and triggered epithelial-mesenchymal transformation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cadherin isoforms can change from E-cadherin to N-cadherin in transformed human gastric cancer cells, which is associated with intracellular events of stomach carcinogenesis and high expression of corresponding transcription factors.
authors.affiliation: Beijing Institute for Cancer Research, Peking University, Beijing 100036, China.
authors.forename: Bing-Jing
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhi-Qian
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ke
mesh_terms: D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D017931:DNA Primers; D006801:Humans; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D017931:DNA Primers; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D014157:Transcription Factors