title: Histatin-1, a histidine-rich peptide in human saliva, promotes cell-substrate and cell-cell adhesion.
abstract: Histatins (Hsts) are histidine-rich peptides exclusively present in the saliva of higher primates. In this study, we explored the effects of Hsts on cell-substrate and cell-cell adhesion. Histatin (Hst)-1 caused a significant (>2-fold) increase (EC50 = 1 µM) in the ability of human adherent cells to attach and spread, even in conditions that impaired cell spreading. Other tested Hsts did not stimulate cell spreading, indicating a specific effect of Hst1. The effect of Hst1 on cell-cell adhesion was investigated by using transepithelial resistance (TER) measurements in the human cell line Caco-2, a widely used model for the epithelial layer. We found that 10 µM Hst1 caused a 20% increase in TER compared to the negative control, indicating a function for Hst1 in intercellular cell adhesion and epithelial integrity. A role for Hst1 in both cell-substrate and cell-cell adhesion is highly conceivable, because these 2 modes of adhesion are closely related via shared components and connected signaling pathways.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Oral Biochemistry, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam and VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; and Core Facility Cellular Imaging, Van Leeuwenhoek Center for Advanced Microscopy, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Irene A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: van Dijk
authors.affiliation: *Department of Oral Biochemistry, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam and VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; and Core Facility Cellular Imaging, Van Leeuwenhoek Center for Advanced Microscopy, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Kamran
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nazmi
authors.affiliation: *Department of Oral Biochemistry, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam and VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; and Core Facility Cellular Imaging, Van Leeuwenhoek Center for Advanced Microscopy, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jan G M
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Bolscher
authors.affiliation: *Department of Oral Biochemistry, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam and VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; and Core Facility Cellular Imaging, Van Leeuwenhoek Center for Advanced Microscopy, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Enno C I
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Veerman
authors.affiliation: *Department of Oral Biochemistry, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam and VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; and Core Facility Cellular Imaging, Van Leeuwenhoek Center for Advanced Microscopy, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands j.stap@amc.uva.nl.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stap
mesh_terms: D018938:Caco-2 Cells; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D054808:Histatins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006639:Histidine / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism*; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D054808:Histatins; D010455:Peptides; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides; D006639:Histidine
keywords: barrier function; cell spreading; transepithelial resistance