title: E-cadherin acts as a regulator of transcripts associated with a wide range of cellular processes in mouse embryonic stem cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We have recently shown that expression of the cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin is required for LIF-dependent pluripotency of mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, we have assessed global transcript expression in E-cadherin null (Ecad-/-) ES cells cultured in either the presence or absence of LIF and compared these to the parental cell line wtD3.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We show that LIF has little effect on the transcript profile of Ecad-/- ES cells, with statistically significant transcript alterations observed only for Sp8 and Stat3. Comparison of Ecad-/- and wtD3 ES cells cultured in LIF demonstrated significant alterations in the transcript profile, with effects not only confined to cell adhesion and motility but also affecting, for example, primary metabolic processes, catabolism and genes associated with apoptosis. Ecad-/- ES cells share similar, although not identical, gene expression profiles to epiblast-derived pluripotent stem cells, suggesting that E-cadherin expression may inhibit inner cell mass to epiblast transition. We further show that Ecad-/- ES cells maintain a functional β-catenin pool that is able to induce β-catenin/TCF-mediated transactivation but, contrary to previous findings, do not display endogenous β-catenin/TCF-mediated transactivation. We conclude that loss of E-cadherin in mouse ES cells leads to significant transcript alterations independently of β-catenin/TCF transactivation.
authors.affiliation: Core Technology Facility, Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Soncin
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mohamet
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ritson
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hawkins
authors.forename: Nicoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bobola
authors.forename: Leo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zeef
authors.forename: Catherine L R
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Merry
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ward
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor