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.
Gavert
Nancy
N
Weizmann Institute of Science, Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Rehovot, Israel.
Ben-Shmuel
Amir
A
Raveh
Shani
S
Ben-Ze'ev
Avri
A
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