Biochemical interactions among intercellular adhesion molecules expressed by airway epithelial cells.
Intercellular adhesion between adjacent airway epithelial cells plays a critical role in maintaining the barrier function of the respiratory mucosa. In the current study, we examined the expression and interaction of cell surface adhesion molecules (E-cadherin, ICAM-1, and MUC1) and their intracellular binding partners (alpha-catenin, beta-catenin, gamma-catenin, and ezrin) in 16HBE14o-, HBE1, 1HAEo-, BEAS-2B, A549, and NCI-H292 human airway epithelial cells. Expression of E-cadherin and MUC1, both in whole cell lysates and biotinylated surface proteins, was observed in 16HBE14o-, HBE1, A549, and NCI-H292 cells, while ICAM-1 was detected only in NCI-H292. In contrast, alpha-, beta-, and gamma-catenin and ezrin were expressed in all of the cells. E-cadherin formed coimmunoprecipitation complexes with beta- and gamma-catenin, whereas MUC1 only associated with beta-catenin. ICAM-1, but not MUC1, coimmunoprecipitated with ezrin in NCI-H292 cells. We conclude that airway epithelial cell-cell adhesion involves a complex network of protein-protein interactions mediated by a diverse array of membrane-bound and cytosolic protein partners.
Division of Pulmonology/Allergy, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
Keena E
KE
Molock
Erik P
EP
Lillehoj
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D025941:Protein Interaction Mapping; D020543:Proteome / Q000378:metabolism*; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D020543:Proteome