L1-CAM in cancerous tissues.
BACKGROUND
L1-cell adhesion molecule (L1-CAM) is a cell adhesion receptor of the immunoglobulin superfamily, known for its roles in nerve cell function. While originally believed to be present only in brain cells, in recent years L1-CAM has been detected in other tissues, and in a variety of cancer cells, including some common types of human cancer.


OBJECTIVE
We review the prevalence of L1-CAM in human cancer, the possible mechanisms involved in L1-CAM-mediated tumorigenesis, and cancer therapies based upon L1-CAM antibody treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
In colon cancer cells, the L1-CAM gene was identified as a target of the Wnt/beta-catenin-TCF signaling pathway, and L1-CAM was exclusively detected at the invasive front of colon and ovarian cancer tissue. The expression of L1-CAM in normal and cancer cells enhanced tumorigenesis and conferred metastasis in colon cancer cells. Antibodies against the L1-CAM ectodomain severely inhibited the proliferation of a variety of cancer cells in culture and reduced tumor burden when injected into mice harboring cancer cells expressing L1-CAM. These results, in addition to the presence of L1-CAM on the cell surface and its restricted distribution in normal tissues, make it an ideal target for tumor therapy.
Weizmann Institute of Science, Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Rehovot, Israel.
Nancy
N
Gavert
Amir
A
Ben-Shmuel
Shani
S
Raveh
Avri
A
Ben-Ze'ev
D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D039842:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule L1 / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism
D039842:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule L1; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases