title: Profilin-1 overexpression restores adherens junctions in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells in R-cadherin-dependent manner.
abstract: Profilin-1 (Pfn1), a ubiquitously expressed actin-binding protein, is downregulated in several different types of adenocarcinoma and elicits tumor-suppressive effect on breast cancer cell lines. MDA-MB-231 (MDA-231), a breast cancer cell line that displays all the characteristics of post-epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and does not form cell-cell adhesion, can be reverted to an epithelioid phenotype by Pfn1 overexpression. This morphological transition is caused by restoration of adherens junctions (AJ) requiring Pfn1's interaction with actin. Pfn1 overexpression increases the expression level of R-cadherin (a type of cadherin that is endogenously expressed in the parental cell line) and restores AJ in MDA-231 cells in R-cadherin-dependent manner. These findings highlight important role of Pfn1 in the regulation of epithelial cell-cell adhesion.
authors: Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, 306 Center for Bioengineering, 300 Technology Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA.
authors: Li
authors: L
authors: Zou
authors: Rachel
authors: R
authors: Hazan
authors: Partha
authors: P
authors: Roy
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D022005:Adherens Junctions / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002450:Cell Communication; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051304:Profilins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D015820:Cadherins; D051304:Profilins; C083970:R-cadherin