title: Soluble N-cadherin in human biological fluids.
abstract: Classical cadherins such as E-, P- and N-cadherin are transmembrane proteins that mediate cell-cell adhesion, and are important in embryogenesis, maintenance of tissue integrity and cancer. Proteolytic shedding of the extracellular domain results in the generation of soluble E-, P- or N-cadherin ectodomains. Circulating soluble E- and P-cadherin have been described in the serum, and elevated levels were detected in cancer patients when compared with healthy persons. Here we report the presence of soluble N-cadherin, a 90-kD protein fragment, in the serum of both healthy persons and cancer patients, using a direct ELISA and immunoprecipitation. A correlation was found between prostate specific antigen and soluble N-cadherin, and significantly elevated levels were detected in prostate cancer follow-up patients. The N-cadherin protein is neo-expressed by carcinomas of the prostate, and is responsible for epithelial to fibroblastic transition. This is reflected by the higher concentrations of soluble N-cadherin in prostate cancer patients than in healthy persons.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Cancerology, Department of Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Lara
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Derycke
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: De Wever
authors.forename: Veronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stove
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vanhoecke
authors.forename: Joris
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Delanghe
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Depypere
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bracke
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000652:urine; D015820:Cadherins / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000652:urine; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000652:urine; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000652:urine; D012661:Semen / Q000737:chemistry; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen