title: Characterization of N-cadherin unbinding properties in non-malignant (HCV29) and malignant (T24) bladder cells.
abstract: The expression of N-cadherin, characteristic of various cancers, very often leads to changes in the cells' adhesive properties. Thus, we sought to find out if N-cadherin expressed in various, but cancer-related cells, differs in its functional properties that could contribute to variations in cells' phenotypes. In our work, measurements of an unbinding force of a single N-cadherin molecule, probed with the same antibody both on a surface of living non-malignant (HCV29) and malignant cells (T24) of bladder cancer, were carried out with the use of an atomic force microscopy. The results show the enhanced N-cadherin level in T24 malignant cells (8.7% vs. 3.6% obtained for non-malignant one), confirmed by the Western blot and the immunohistochemical staining. The effect was accompanied by changes in unbinding properties of an individual N-cadherin molecule. Lower unbinding force values (26.1 ± 7.1 pN) in non-malignant cells reveal less stable N-cadherin complexes, as compared to malignant cells (61.7 ± 14.6 pN). This suggests the cancer-related changes in a structure of the binding site of the antibody, located at the extracellular domain of N-cadherin.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biophysical Microstudies, The Henryk Niewodniczański Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Radzikowskiego 152, 31-342 Kraków, Poland. malgorzata.lekka@ifj.edu.pl
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lekka
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dąbroś
authors.forename: Justyna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jaczewska
authors.forename: Andrzej J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Kulik
authors.forename: Janusz
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lekki
authors.forename: Zbigniew
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Stachura
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stachura
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Laidler
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D011485:Protein Binding; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism; D051185:gamma Catenin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D015820:Cadherins; D051176:beta Catenin; D051185:gamma Catenin