scholarly journals Dynamics of Cell Interactions and Communications during Melanoma Development

2002 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 62-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Li ◽  
K. Satyamoorthy ◽  
M. Herlyn

Melanoma development not only involves genetic and epigenetic changes that take place within the cell, but also involves processes determined collectively by micro-environmental factors, including cell-cell interactions and communications. During the transition from normal cells to benign and malignant lesions, and subsequently to metastatic cancer, stepwise changes in intercellular communications provide tumor cells with the ability to overcome cell-cell adhesion and micro-environmental controls from the host and to invade surrounding tissues and disperse to distant locations. Cadherins are major cell–cell adhesion molecules involved in the development and maintenance of skin. E-cadherin expressed in normal melanocytes mediates growth and invasion control by keratinocytes. Progressive loss of E-cadherin and gain of N-cadherin during melanoma development not only free melanoma cells from control by keratinocytes, but also provide new adhesion properties, resulting in switched partnerships with fibroblasts and vascular endothelial cells. The cadherin subtype switching also dictates gap junctional specificity in melanocytic cells during tumor development. This selective intercellular communication may contribute to the regulation of cell growth, differentiation, apoptosis, and migration of melanocytic cells in both physiologic and pathologic conditions. Abnormal up-regulation of the immunoglobin repeat-containing cell adhesion molecules Mel-CAM and L1-CAM potentiates invasion and migration of melanoma. Thus, abnormal expression of intercellular adhesion receptors and dysregulated intercellular communication underlies melanoma development and progression.

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. e2018059
Author(s):  
Maria Cristina Rapanotti

Increasing levels of angiogenesis play an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of multiple myeloma (MM). Malignant plasma cells promote a gradual increase in the degree of angiogenesis, modulation of specific cell-cell adhesion molecules and secretion of matrix-metallo-proteinases (MMPs), changing the BM composition from benign conditions, such as MGUS, to smouldering multiple myeloma (SM) and to active MM. We aimed to identify a gene expression profile, helpful to discriminate the “angiogenic potential” in BM and PB plasma cells from MGUS, SMM and active MM patients analyzed at diagnosis. We analyzed the expression of cell-cell adhesion molecules such as VE-Cadherin, E-Cadherin MCAM/MUC18/CD146 and of the MMP-2 and MMP-9. MCAM/MUC18 expression resulted mostly associated with that of the pivotal angiogenic factors VEGF and Ang2, and in MGUS the pattern was different in steady state, compared to progression towards SM. Furthermore, E-Cadherin, the main epithelial cell-cell-adhesion molecule, unexpectedly resulted overexpressed in MM.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                


1998 ◽  
Vol 4 (S2) ◽  
pp. 1068-1069
Author(s):  
Ann-Marie Broome ◽  
Clarke F. Millette

Cell adhesion and cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) play a crucial role in testicular development and function. The seminiferous epithelium, the functional unit of the testis, represents a three dimensional architecture of supporting Sertoli cells (SC), and developing germ cells (GC). The seminiferous epithelium, therefore, must be receptive not only to individual cell growth and differentiation, but also to cell-cell interactions. Morphologically distinct cell-cell interactions occur between SC and GC and also between SC.[1] In general, these junctions can be categorized into three types: adhesive, occluding, and gap junctions. The orientation and function of these junctions are interaction dependent. For example, desmosome-like junctions (spot desmosomes) are found between SC and GC. These junctions are present in the basal and intermediate compartments of the testis and serve to translocate developing GC. SC-SC interactions, like the zonula occludens (tight junction), function as vectorial mediators, maintaining the blood-testis barrier and SC polarity.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasushi Taniguchi

Hoxgenes encode homeodomain-containing transcription factors that determine cell and tissue identities in the embryo during development.Hoxgenes are also expressed in various adult tissues and cancer cells. InDrosophila, expression of cell adhesion molecules, cadherins and integrins, is regulated by Hox proteins operating in hierarchical molecular pathways and plays a crucial role in segment-specific organogenesis. A number of studies using mammalian cultured cells have revealed that cell adhesion molecules responsible for cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions are downstream targets of Hox proteins. However, whether Hox transcription factors regulate expression of cell adhesion molecules during vertebrate development is still not fully understood. In this review, the potential roles Hox proteins play in cell adhesion and migration during vertebrate body patterning are discussed.


2004 ◽  
Vol 279 (30) ◽  
pp. 31365-31373 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takako Ooshio ◽  
Kenji Irie ◽  
Koji Morimoto ◽  
Atsunori Fukuhara ◽  
Toshio Imai ◽  
...  

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 118
Author(s):  
David de Agustín-Durán ◽  
Isabel Mateos-White ◽  
Jaime Fabra-Beser ◽  
Cristina Gil-Sanz

The neocortex is an exquisitely organized structure achieved through complex cellular processes from the generation of neural cells to their integration into cortical circuits after complex migration processes. During this long journey, neural cells need to establish and release adhesive interactions through cell surface receptors known as cell adhesion molecules (CAMs). Several types of CAMs have been described regulating different aspects of neurodevelopment. Whereas some of them mediate interactions with the extracellular matrix, others allow contact with additional cells. In this review, we will focus on the role of two important families of cell–cell adhesion molecules (C-CAMs), classical cadherins and nectins, as well as in their effectors, in the control of fundamental processes related with corticogenesis, with special attention in the cooperative actions among the two families of C-CAMs.


2008 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 349-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
James L. Burchette ◽  
Tram T. Pham ◽  
Steven P. Higgins ◽  
Jonathan L. Cook ◽  
Alejandro Peralta Soler

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