title: Involvement of the ubiquitin-proteasome system in the stabilization of cell-cell contacts in human keratinocytes.
abstract: Desmosomes are highly organized intercellular junctions composed of a number of interacting proteins that provide mechanical integrity to epithelial tissues. Mutations in genes encoding desmosomal proteins, including desmoplakin (DP), are associated with human hereditary diseases affecting skin integrity. The detailed mechanism of desmosome assembly remains, despite many efforts, incompletely understood. Recently, the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) has been suggested to be an important regulatory system for the proper intracellular trafficking of proteins. Here, we provide evidence for a calcium-independent, but UPS-dependent, stabilization of cell-cell contacts in human keratinocytes, which might be mediated by the maintenance of DP at desmosomes.
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Löffek
authors.forename: Leena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bruckner-Tuderman
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Magin
mesh_terms: D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D051183:Desmoglein 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D051180:Desmoplakins / Q000378:metabolism; D003896:Desmosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000378:metabolism*; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex / Q000378:metabolism*; D025801:Ubiquitin / Q000378:metabolism*; D051185:gamma Catenin
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; C495297:DSG1 protein, human; C495294:DSP protein, human; D051183:Desmoglein 1; D051180:Desmoplakins; C495292:JUP protein, human; D025801:Ubiquitin; D051185:gamma Catenin; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex; D002118:Calcium