title: Junctional Adhesion Molecules (JAMs) are differentially expressed in fibroblasts and co-localize with ZO-1 to adherens-like junctions.
abstract: Junctional Adhesion Molecules (JAMs) are components and regulators of the well-characterized epithelial and endothelial tight junction. Since the molecular components of native fibroblast adherens-like junctions remain poorly described we determined JAM expression profiles in fibroblasts. We found JAM-C on human dermal, lung, and corneal primary fibroblast cultures. Within murine lines, JAM-A was found in L-cells, JAM-C in 3T3 L1 cells, and both JAM-A and JAM-C were co-expressed in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts. In primary dermal fibroblasts, JAM-C concentrated at zipper-like junctions that formed between apposing cells. Dual immunostaining showed JAM-C co-localization with the ZO-1 intracellular scaffolding molecule at cell contacts that ranged from 7 microm to over 25 microm in length. JAM-C also labeled similar zipper-like junctions detected with N-Cadherin and Cadherin-11 antibodies. We conclude that endogenous JAM-C is an integral component of the dermal fibroblast adherens-like junction, and our data extend the expression and potential function of JAMs into mesenchymal tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, University of Texas at Houston Medical School, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tawil
authors.forename: Zuzana
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Berkova
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wible
authors.forename: C Wayne
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Sonia A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Cunningham
mesh_terms: D041721:3T3-L1 Cells; D022005:Adherens Junctions / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003315:Cornea / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000378:metabolism; D062726:Junctional Adhesion Molecules; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D062826:Zonula Occludens-1 Protein
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; C050361:CDH2 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; C407243:F11R protein, human; D007136:Immunoglobulins; C448000:JAM3 protein, human; D062726:Junctional Adhesion Molecules; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C569042:TJP1 protein, human; C569043:Tjp1 protein, mouse; D062826:Zonula Occludens-1 Protein; C086960:osteoblast cadherin