title: Epithelial E- and P-cadherins: role and clinical significance in cancer.
abstract: E-cadherin and P-cadherin are major contributors to cell-cell adhesion in epithelial tissues, playing pivotal roles in important morphogenetic and differentiation processes during development, and in maintaining integrity and homeostasis in adult tissues. It is now generally accepted that alterations in these two molecules are observed during tumour progression of most carcinomas. Genetic or epigenetic alterations in E- and P-cadherin-encoding genes (CDH1 and CDH3, respectively), or alterations in their proteins expression, often result in tissue disorder, cellular de-differentiation, increased invasiveness of tumour cells and ultimately in metastasis. In this review, we will discuss the major properties of E- and P-cadherin molecules, its regulation in normal tissue, and their alterations and role in cancer, with a specific focus on gastric and breast cancer models.
authors.affiliation: University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Paredes
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Albergaria
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Ana Sofia
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Caldeira
authors.forename: Angela Margarida
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Simões-Correia
authors.forename: Maria José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pinheiro
authors.forename: Salomé S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Pinho
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mateus
authors.forename: Celso A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.forename: Maria Sofia
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.forename: Fátima
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carneiro
authors.forename: Céu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Seruca
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D040342:Genetic Structures; D006801:Humans; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins