Differential cadherin expression: potential markers for epithelial to mesenchymal transformation during tumor progression.
The cadherin family of adhesion molecules regulates cell-cell interactions during development and in tissues. The prototypical cadherin, E-cadherin, is responsible for maintaining interactions of epithelial cells and is frequently downregulated during tumor progression. N-cadherin, normally found in fibroblasts and neural cells, can be upregulated during tumor progression and can increase the invasiveness of tumor cells. The proinvasive effects of N-cadherin expression in tumor cells result from two possible mechanisms: promotion of tumor cell interactions with the N-cadherin-expressing microenvironment, or enhancement of signaling via the fibroblast growth factor receptor. The downregulation of E-cadherin and the upregulation of N-cadherin in tumors may be a result of an epithelial to mesenchymal transformation (EMT) of tumor cells, which is notoriously difficult to detect in vivo. Double labeling of individual tumors with specific E- and N-cadherin antibodies suggests that EMT can occur heterogeneously and/or transiently within an invasive tumor.
Agiostratidou
Georgia
G
Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
Hulit
James
J
Phillips
Greg R
GR
Hazan
Rachel B
RB
D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015820:Cadherins