Protocadherin Pcdh2 shows properties similar to, but distinct from, those of classical cadherins

1995 ◽  
Vol 108 (12) ◽  
pp. 3765-3773 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Obata ◽  
H. Sago ◽  
N. Mori ◽  
J.M. Rochelle ◽  
M.F. Seldin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Adhesion ◽  
Cell Aggregation ◽  
Cytoplasmic Domain ◽  
Major Protein ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Aggregation Assay ◽  
L Cells ◽  
Classical Cadherins ◽  
Ionic Detergent ◽  
Aggregation Activity

Cell adhesion and several other properties of a recently identified cadherin-related protein, protocadherin Pcdh2, were characterized. A chimeric Pcdh2 in which the original cytoplasmic domain was replaced with the cytoplasmic domain of E-cadherin was expressed in mouse L cells. The expressed protein had a molecular mass of about 150 kDa and was localized predominantly at the cell periphery, as was the wild-type Pcdh2. In a conventional cell aggregation assay, the transfectants showed cell aggregation activity comparable to that of classical cadherins. This activity was Ca(2+)-dependent and was inhibited by the addition of anti-Pcdh2 antibody, indicating that the chimeric Pcdh2, and probably the wild-type Pcdh2, has Ca(2+)-dependent cell aggregation activity. Mixed cell aggregation assay using L cells and different types of transfectants showed that the activity of Pcdh2 was homophilic and molecular type specific and that Pcdh2 was transfectants did not aggregate with other types of transfectants or with L cells. In immunoprecipitation, the chimeric Pcdh2 co-precipitated with a 105 kDa and a 95 kDa protein, whereas wild-type Pcdh2 co-precipitated with no major protein. Pcdh2 was easily solubilized with non-ionic detergent, in contrast to the case of classical cadherins. On immunofluorescence microscopy, the somas of Purkinje cells were diffusely stained with anti-human Pcdh2 antibody. Mouse Pcdh1 and Pcdh2 were mapped to a small segment of chromosome 18, suggesting that various protocadherins form a gene cluster at this region. The present results suggest that Pcdh2, and possibly other protocadherins as well as protocadherin-related proteins such as Drosophila fat, mediate Ca(2+)-dependent and specific homophilic cell-cell interaction in vivo and play an important role in cell adhesion, cell recognition, and/or some other basic cell processes.

Characterization of cadherin-4 and cadherin-5 reveals new aspects of cadherins

1994 ◽  
Vol 107 (6) ◽  
pp. 1697-1704 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Tanihara ◽  
M. Kido ◽  
S. Obata ◽  
R.L. Heimark ◽  
M. Davidson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Aggregation ◽  
Cytoplasmic Domain ◽  
Cell Contact ◽  
Relative Molecular Mass ◽  
Major Protein ◽  
Cell Periphery ◽  
Aggregation Assay ◽  
Classical Cadherins ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Aggregation Activity

Several properties of cadherin-4 and cadherin-5 were characterized by using the cDNA transfection approach. The proteins of both cadherins had a relative molecular mass of about 130 kDa and were present at the cell periphery, especially at cell-cell contact sites. These cadherins were easily digested with trypsin, and Ca2+ protected cadherin-4, but not cadherin-5, from the digestion. In immunoprecipitation, cadherin-4 co-precipitated with two major proteins of 105 kDa and 95 kDa, respectively. The 105 kDa and the 95 kDa proteins are likely to correspond to alpha- and beta-catenins. Cadherin-5 co-precipitated with only one major protein of 95 kDa, but seems to associate with the 105 kDa protein. On the other hand, plakoglobin or gamma-catenin did not co-precipitate well with either cadherin-4 or cadherin-5 in immunoprecipitation, but plakoglobin also appears to associated weakly with these cadherins. Cadherin-4 transfectants aggregated within 30 minutes in a cell aggregation assay, but cadherin-5 transfectants did not aggregate under the same conditions. Furthermore, the transfectants of chimeric cadherin-4 with cadherin-5 cytoplasmic domain showed cell aggregation activity comparable to that of wild-type cadherin-4 transfectants, whereas the transfectants of chimeric cadherin-5 with cadherin-4 cytoplasmic domain did not show appreciable cell aggregation, suggesting that the extracellular domains of cadherins, in conjunction with their cytoplasmic domains, play an important role in cell aggregation activity. These results show that cadherin-4 is very similar to the classical cadherins, whereas cadherin-5 is functionally as well as structurally distinct from classical cadherins.

Coexpression of both types of desmosomal cadherin and plakoglobin confers strong intercellular adhesion

1998 ◽  
Vol 111 (4) ◽  
pp. 495-509 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Marcozzi ◽  
I.D. Burdett ◽  
R.S. Buxton ◽  
A.I. Magee
Keyword(s):  
Cell Adhesion ◽  
Intercellular Junctions ◽  
Cell Aggregation ◽  
Cell Contact ◽  
Desmosomal Cadherins ◽  
Contact Sites ◽  
L Cells ◽  
Classical Cadherins ◽  
Adhesion Activity ◽  
Cell Cell

Desmosomes are unique intercellular junctions in that they invariably contain two types of transmembrane cadherin molecule, desmocollins and desmogleins. In addition they possess a distinct cytoplasmic plaque structure containing a few major proteins including desmoplakins and the armadillo family member plakoglobin. Desmosomal cadherins are putative cell-cell adhesion molecules and we have tested their adhesive capacity using a transfection approach in mouse L cells. We find that L cells expressing either one or both of the desmosomal cadherins desmocollin 2a or desmoglein 1 display weak cell-cell adhesion activity that is Ca2+-dependent. Both homophilic and heterophilic adhesion could be detected. However, co-expression of plakoglobin with both desmosomal cadherins, but not with desmoglein 1 alone, resulted in a dramatic potentiation of cell-cell aggregation and the accumulation of detergent-insoluble desmosomal proteins at points of cell-cell contact. The effect of plakoglobin seems to be due directly to its interaction with the desmosomal cadherins rather than to its signalling function. The data suggest that the desmosome may obligatorily contain two cadherins and is consistent with a model in which desmocollins and desmogleins may form side by side heterodimers in contrast to the classical cadherins that are homodimeric. Plakoglobin may function by potentiating dimer formation, accretion of dimers to cell-cell contact sites or desmosomal cadherin stability.

Tyrosine phosphorylation of p120(ctn) in v-Src transfected L cells depends on its association with E-cadherin and reduces adhesion activity

2001 ◽  
Vol 114 (3) ◽  
pp. 503-512 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Ozawa ◽  
T. Ohkubo
Keyword(s):  
Cell Adhesion ◽  
Complex Formation ◽  
Tyrosine Phosphorylation ◽  
Chimeric Protein ◽  
Single Amino Acid ◽  
Membrane Localization ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
L Cells ◽  
Adhesion Activity ◽  
E Cadherin

Cadherins are transmembrane glycoproteins involved in Ca2+-dependent cell-cell adhesion. Using L cells expressing one of three functional E-cadherin constructs, the wild-type, a chimeric molecule with alpha-catenin (EalphaC), and a tail-less one, we determined the effect of v-Src expression on E-cadherin-mediated adhesion. The aggregation of L cells expressing the wild-type or EalphaC chimeric protein, which both interact with p120(ctn), was reduced by v-Src expression, whereas that of L cells expressing the tail-less E-cadherin was not affected by the expression. Tyrosine phosphorylation of p120(ctn) was observed in v-Src-transformed L cells expressing the wild-type or EalphaC chimeric protein, but not in ones expressing the tail-less E-cadherin. Thus, tyrosine phosphorylation of p120(ctn) depends on the complex formation with E-cadherin and the resulting membrane localization. Constitutive phosphorylation of p120(ctn) on serine and threonine residues also depends on the complex formation and membrane localization. Coexpression of the p120(ctn) protein with an N-terminal deletion, which eliminates some potential tyrosine phosphorylation sites, or the protein with a single amino acid substitution (tyrosine at 217 to phenylalanine) resulted in an increase in the aggregation of v-Src-transformed EL and EalphaCL cells. These results indicate that tyrosine phosphorylation of p120(ctn) is involved in the v-Src modulation of E-cadherin-mediated cell adhesion.

scholarly journals Modulation of β1A Integrin Functions by Tyrosine Residues in the β1 Cytoplasmic Domain

1998 ◽  
Vol 141 (2) ◽  
pp. 527-538 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takao Sakai ◽  
Qinghong Zhang ◽  
Reinhard Fässler ◽  
Deane F. Mosher
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Cell Adhesion ◽  
Point Mutations ◽  
Cytoplasmic Domain ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Directed Migration ◽  
Tyrosine Residues ◽  
Impaired Ability ◽  
Focal Contacts ◽  
Activating Mutation

β1A integrin subunits with point mutations of the cytoplasmic domain were expressed in fibroblasts derived from β1-null stem cells. β1A in which one or both of the tyrosines of the two NPXY motifs (Y783, Y795) were changed to phenylalanines formed active α5β1 and α6β1 integrins that mediated cell adhesion and supported assembly of fibronectin. Mutation of the proline in either motif (P781, P793) to an alanine or of a threonine in the inter-motif sequence (T788) to a proline resulted in poorly expressed, inactive β1A. Y783,795F cells developed numerous fine focal contacts and exhibited motility on a surface. When compared with cells expressing wild-type β1A or β1A with the D759A activating mutation of a conserved membrane–proximal aspartate, Y783,795F cells had impaired ability to transverse filters in chemotaxis assays. Analysis of cells expressing β1A with single Tyr to Phe substitutions indicated that both Y783 and Y795 are important for directed migration. Actin-containing microfilaments of Y783,795F cells were shorter and more peripheral than microfilaments of cells expressing wild-type β1A. These results indicate that change of the phenol side chains in the NPXY motifs to phenyl groups (which cannot be phosphorylated) has major effects on the organization of focal contacts and cytoskeleton and on directed cell motility.

scholarly journals Integrin alpha 2 cytoplasmic domain deletion effects: loss of adhesive activity parallels ligand-independent recruitment into focal adhesions.

1994 ◽  
Vol 5 (9) ◽  
pp. 977-988 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Kawaguchi ◽  
J M Bergelson ◽  
R W Finberg ◽  
M E Hemler
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Cell Adhesion ◽  
Focal Adhesion ◽  
Cho Cells ◽  
Chinese Hamster ◽  
Focal Adhesions ◽  
Inverse Correlation ◽  
Cytoplasmic Domain ◽  
Negative Regulator ◽  
Wild Type

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transfected with the integrin alpha 2 subunit formed a stable VLA-2 heterodimer that mediated cell adhesion to collagen. Within CHO cells spread on collagen, but not fibronectin, wild-type alpha 2 subunit localized into focal adhesion complexes (FACs). In contrast, alpha 2 with a deleted cytoplasmic domain was recruited into FACs whether CHO cells were spread on collagen or fibronectin. Thus, as previously seen for other integrins, the alpha 2 cytoplasmic domain acts as a negative regulator, preventing indiscriminate integrin recruitment into FACs. Notably, ligand-independent localization of the VLA-2 alpha 2 subunit into FACs was partially prevented if only one or two amino acids were present in the alpha 2 cytoplasmic domain (beyond the conserved GFFKR motif) and was completely prevented by four to seven amino acids. The addition of two alanine residues (added to GFFKR) also partially prevented ligand-independent localization. In a striking inverse correlation, the same mutants showing increased ligand-independent recruitment into FACs exhibited diminished alpha 2-dependent adhesion to collagen. Thus, control of VLA-2 localization may be closely related to the suppression of cell adhesion to collagen. In contrast to FAC localization and collagen adhesion results, VLA-2-dependent binding and infection by echovirus were unaffected by either alpha 2 cytoplasmic domain deletion or exchange with other cytoplasmic domains.

scholarly journals Identification of adipocyte adhesion molecule (ACAM), a novel CTX gene family, implicated in adipocyte maturation and development of obesity

2005 ◽  
Vol 387 (2) ◽  
pp. 343-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun EGUCHI ◽  
Jun WADA ◽  
Kazuyuki HIDA ◽  
Hong ZHANG ◽  
Takashi MATSUOKA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Adhesion ◽  
Gene Family ◽  
Mrna Expression ◽  
Adhesion Molecule ◽  
Chinese Hamster ◽  
Cell Aggregation ◽  
Cdna Subtraction ◽  
Aggregation Assay ◽  
Oletf Rats ◽  
Type Variable

Few cell adhesion molecules have been reported to be expressed in mature adipocytes, and the significance of cell adhesion process in adipocyte biology is also unknown. In the present study, we identified ACAM (adipocyte adhesion molecule), a novel homologue of the CTX (cortical thymocyte marker in Xenopus) gene family. ACAM cDNA was isolated during PCR-based cDNA subtraction, and its mRNA was shown to be up-regulated in WATs (white adipose tissues) of OLETF (Otsuka Long–Evans Tokushima fatty) rats, an animal model for Type II diabetes and obesity. ACAM, 372 amino acids in total, has a signal peptide, V-type (variable) and C2-type (constant) Ig domains, a single transmembrane segment and a cytoplasmic tail. The amino acid sequence in rat is highly homologous to mouse (94%) and human (87%). ACAM mRNA was predominantly expressed in WATs in OLETF rats, and increased with the development of obesity until 30 weeks of age, which is when the peak of body mass is reached. Western blot analysis revealed that ACAM protein, approx. 45 kDa, was associated with plasma membrane fractions of mature adipocytes isolated from mesenteric and subdermal adipose deposits of OLETF rats. Up-regulation of ACAM mRNAs in obesity was also shown in WATs of genetically obese db/db mice, diet-induced obese ICR mice and human obese subjects. In primary cultured mouse and human adipocytes, ACAM mRNA expression was progressively up-regulated during differentiation. Several stably transfected Chinese-hamster ovary K1 cell lines were established, and the quantification of ACAM mRNA and cell aggregation assay revealed that the degree of homophilic aggregation correlated well with ACAM mRNA expression. In summary, ACAM may be the critical adhesion molecule in adipocyte differentiation and development of obesity.

scholarly journals Regulation of C-cadherin function during activin induced morphogenesis of Xenopus animal caps.

1994 ◽  
Vol 126 (2) ◽  
pp. 519-527 ◽  
Author(s):  
W M Brieher ◽  
B M Gumbiner
Keyword(s):  
Cell Adhesion ◽  
Single Cells ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Aggregation Assay ◽  
Animal Pole ◽  
Mesodermal Cell ◽  
Calcium Dependent ◽  
L Cells ◽  
Steady State Levels ◽  
Cell Cell

Treatment of Xenopus animal pole tissue with activin results in the induction of mesodermal cell types and a dramatic elongation of the tissue. The morphogenetic movements involved in the elongation appear similar to those in normal gastrulation, which is driven by cell rearrangement and cell intercalations. We have used this system to explore the potential regulation of cell-cell adhesion and cadherin function during morphogenesis. Quantitative blastomere aggregation assays revealed that activin induction reduced the calcium-dependent adhesion between blastomeres. Activin-induced blastomeres formed smaller aggregates, and a greater proportion of the population remained as single cells compared to uninduced blastomeres. The aggregation was mediated by C-cadherin because C-cadherin was present in the blastomeres during the aggregation assay, and monoclonal antibodies against C-cadherin inhibited the calcium-dependent aggregation of blastomeres. E-cadherin was not detectable until after the completion of the assay and, therefore, does not explain the adhesive differences between induced and uninduced blastomeres. L cells stably expressing C-cadherin (LC cells) were used to demonstrate that C-cadherin activity was specifically altered after activin induction. Blastomeres induced with activin bound fewer LC cells than uninduced blastomers. L cells not expressing C-cadherin did not adhere to blastomeres. The changes in C-cadherin-mediated adhesion occurred without detectable changes in the steady-state levels of C-cadherin or the amount of C-cadherin present on the surface of the cell. Immunoprecipitation of C-cadherin and its associated catenins revealed that the ratio of C-cadherin and the catenins was not altered by activin induction. These results demonstrate that activin decreases the adhesive function of existing C-cadherin molecules on the surface of blastomeres and suggest that decreased cadherin mediated cell-cell adhesion is associated with increased morphogenetic movement.

scholarly journals Dimerization mechanism and structural features of human LI-cadherin

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Yui ◽  
Jose M. M. Caaveiro ◽  
Daisuke Kuroda ◽  
Makoto Nakakido ◽  
Satoru Nagatoishi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crystal Structure ◽  
Gastric Cancer ◽  
Cell Adhesion ◽  
Rational Design ◽  
Cell Aggregation ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Gastric Cancer Cells ◽  
Aggregation Assay ◽  
Colon Cells ◽  
Dependent Cell

AbstractLI-cadherin is a member of cadherin superfamily which is a Ca2+-dependent cell adhesion protein. Its expression is observed on various types of cells in the human body such as normal small intestine and colon cells, and gastric cancer cells. Because its expression is not observed on normal gastric cells, LI-cadherin is a promising target for gastric cancer imaging. However, since the cell adhesion mechanism of LI-cadherin has remained unknown, rational design of therapeutic molecules targeting this cadherin has been complicated. Here, we have studied the homodimerization mechanism of LI-cadherin. We report the crystal structure of the LI-cadherin EC1-4 homodimer. The EC1-4 homodimer exhibited a unique architecture different from that of other cadherins reported so far. The crystal structure also revealed that LI-cadherin possesses a noncanonical calcium ion-free linker between EC2 and EC3. Various biochemical techniques and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed to elucidate the mechanism of homodimerization. We also showed that the formation of the homodimer observed by the crystal structure is necessary for LI-cadherin-dependent cell adhesion by performing cell aggregation assay.

scholarly journals Transmembrane control of cadherin-mediated cell adhesion: a 94 kDa protein functionally associated with a specific region of the cytoplasmic domain of E-cadherin.

1989 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Nagafuchi ◽  
M Takeichi
Keyword(s):  
Cell Adhesion ◽  
Extracellular Domain ◽  
Cytoplasmic Domain ◽  
Cytoplasmic Domains ◽  
Mutant Proteins ◽  
L Cells ◽  
Binding Function ◽  
Mutant Polypeptides ◽  
E Cadherin ◽  
Cell Cell

Cadherins are a family of transmembrane glycoproteins which play a key role in Ca(2+)-dependent cell-cell adhesion. Cytoplasmic domains of these molecules are anchored to the cell cytoskeleton and are required for cadherin function. To elucidate how the function of cadherins is controlled through their cytoplasmic domains, we deleted five different regions in the cytoplasmic domain of E-cadherin. After transfecting L cells with cDNA encoding the mutant polypeptides, we assayed aggregating activity of these transfectants; all these mutant proteins were shown to have an extracellular domain with normal Ca(2+)-sensitivity and molecular weight. Two mutant polypeptides with deletions in the carboxy half of the cytoplasmic domain, however, did not promote cell-cell adhesion and had also lost the ability to bind to the cytoskeleton, whereas the mutant molecules with deletions of other regions retained the ability to promote cell adhesion and to anchor to the cytoskeleton. Thus, the cytoplasmic domain contains a subdomain which was involved in the cell adhesion and cytoskeleton-binding functions. When E-cadherin in F9 cells or in L cells transfected with wild-type or functional mutant cadherin polypeptides was solubilized with nonionic detergents and immunoprecipitated, two additional 94 and 102 kDa components were coprecipitated. The 94 kDa component, however, was not detected in the immunoprecipitates from cells expressing the mutant cadherins which had lost the adhesive function. These results suggest that the interaction of the carboxy half of the cytoplasmic domain with the 94 kDa component regulates the cell binding function of the extracellular domain of E-cadherin.

scholarly journals Deletions in the cytoplasmic domain of platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1, CD31) result in changes in ligand binding properties

1994 ◽  
Vol 124 (1) ◽  
pp. 195-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
HM DeLisser ◽  
J Chilkotowsky ◽  
HC Yan ◽  
ML Daise ◽  
CA Buck ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Adhesion ◽  
Ligand Binding ◽  
Adhesion Molecule ◽  
Cell Adhesion Molecule ◽  
Cytoplasmic Domain ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion ◽  
Cell Adhesion Molecule 1 ◽  
Endothelial Cell Adhesion ◽  
Cell Cell

Platelet/endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1, CD31) is a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily present on platelets, endothelial cells, and leukocytes that may function as a vascular cell adhesion molecule. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of the cytoplasmic domain in PECAM-1 function. To accomplish this, wild-type and mutated forms of PECAM-1 cDNA were transfected into murine fibroblasts and the functional characteristics of the cells analyzed. Wild-type PECAM-1 localized to the cell-cell borders of adjacently transfected cells and mediated heterophilic, calcium-dependent L-cell aggregation that was inhibitable by a polyclonal and two monoclonal anti-PECAM-1 antibodies. A mutant protein lacking the entire cytoplasmic domain did not support aggregation or move to cell-cell borders. In contrast, both forms of PECAM-1 with partially truncated cytoplasmic domains (missing either the COOH-terminal third or two thirds of the cytoplasmic domain) localized to cell-cell borders in 3T3 cells in a manner analogous to the distribution seen in cultured endothelial cells. L-cells expressing these mutants demonstrated homophilic, calcium-independent aggregation that was blocked by the polyclonal anti-PECAM-1 antibody, but not by the two bioactive monoclonal antibodies. Although changes in the cytoplasmic domain of other receptors have been shown to alter ligand-binding affinity, to our knowledge, PECAM-1 is the first example of a cell adhesion molecule where changes in the cytoplasmic domain result in a switch in the basic mechanism of adhesion leading to different ligand-binding specificity. Variations in the cytoplasmic domain could thus be a potential mechanism for regulating PECAM-1 activity in vivo.

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