title: Galectin-3 regulates desmoglein-2 and intestinal epithelial intercellular adhesion.
abstract: The desmosomal cadherins, desmogleins, and desmocollins mediate strong intercellular adhesion. Human intestinal epithelial cells express the desmoglein-2 isoform. A proteomic screen for Dsg2-associated proteins in intestinal epithelial cells identified a lectin referred to as galectin-3 (Gal3). Gal3 bound to N-linked β-galactosides in Dsg2 extracellular domain and co-sedimented with caveolin-1 in lipid rafts. Down-regulation of Gal3 protein or incubation with lactose, a galactose-containing disaccharide that competitively inhibits galectin binding to Dsg2, decreased intercellular adhesion in intestinal epithelial cells. In the absence of functional Gal3, Dsg2 protein was internalized from the plasma membrane and degraded in the proteasome. These results report a novel role of Gal3 in stabilizing a desmosomal cadherin and intercellular adhesion in intestinal epithelial cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Epithelial Pathobiology and Mucosal Inflammation Research Unit, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322.
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Epithelial Pathobiology and Mucosal Inflammation Research Unit, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322.
authors.forename: Carl R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Rankin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Epithelial Pathobiology and Mucosal Inflammation Research Unit, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322; Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Neuroscience, CINVESTAV IPN., Av. IPN 2508, Col. San Pedro Zacatenco, 07360 Ciudad de México, Distrito Federal, México.
authors.forename: Porfirio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nava
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Epithelial Pathobiology and Mucosal Inflammation Research Unit, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322.
authors.forename: Ronen
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sumagin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Epithelial Pathobiology and Mucosal Inflammation Research Unit, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322.
authors.forename: Ryuta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kamekura
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Epithelial Pathobiology and Mucosal Inflammation Research Unit, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322.
authors.forename: Sean R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Stowell
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Epithelial Pathobiology and Mucosal Inflammation Research Unit, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322.
authors.forename: Mingli
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Epithelial Pathobiology and Mucosal Inflammation Research Unit, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322.
authors.forename: Charles A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Parkos
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Epithelial Pathobiology and Mucosal Inflammation Research Unit, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322. Electronic address: anusrat@emory.edu.
authors.forename: Asma
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nusrat
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002450:Cell Communication; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D051301:Desmoglein 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism; D005690:Galactose / Q000737:chemistry; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000166:cytology*; D007785:Lactose / Q000737:chemistry; D021962:Membrane Microdomains / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D040901:Proteomics; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D051301:Desmoglein 2; D037502:Galectin 3; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex; D007785:Lactose; D005690:Galactose
keywords: Cell-Cell Interaction; Desmoglein-2; Desmosome; Galectin; Galectin-3f; Intestinal Epithelium; Protein Stability