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Differential Cadherin Expression: Potential Markers for Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transformation During Tumor Progression

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Abstract

The cadherin family of adhesion molecules regulates cell–cell interactions during development and in tissues. The prototypical cadherin, E-cadherin, is responsible for maintaining interactions of epithelial cells and is frequently downregulated during tumor progression. N-cadherin, normally found in fibroblasts and neural cells, can be upregulated during tumor progression and can increase the invasiveness of tumor cells. The proinvasive effects of N-cadherin expression in tumor cells result from two possible mechanisms: promotion of tumor cell interactions with the N-cadherin-expressing microenvironment, or enhancement of signaling via the fibroblast growth factor receptor. The downregulation of E-cadherin and the upregulation of N-cadherin in tumors may be a result of an epithelial to mesenchymal transformation (EMT) of tumor cells, which is notoriously difficult to detect in vivo. Double labeling of individual tumors with specific E- and N-cadherin antibodies suggests that EMT can occur heterogeneously and/or transiently within an invasive tumor.

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Abbreviations

EMT:

epithelial to mesenchymal transition

MMP:

matrix metalloprotease

EGF:

epidermal growth factor

IGF:

insulin growth factor

FGF:

fibroblast growth factor

HGF:

hepatocyte growth factor

TGFβ:

transforming growth factor beta

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Acknowledgments

R.B.H. is supported by grants from the NIH/NCI (R01 CA90872) and the Susan G. Komen foundation (BCTR0503930). J.H. is supported by a Susan G. Komen post-doctoral fellowship (PDF 0503607).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA

    Georgia Agiostratidou, James Hulit & Rachel B. Hazan

  2. Fishberg Department of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA

    Greg R. Phillips

  3. Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Jack and Pearl Resnick Campus, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Forchheimer Building, Room 529S, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA

    Rachel B. Hazan

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  1. Georgia Agiostratidou
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  2. James Hulit
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Correspondence to Rachel B. Hazan.

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Agiostratidou, G., Hulit, J., Phillips, G.R. et al. Differential Cadherin Expression: Potential Markers for Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transformation During Tumor Progression. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 12, 127–133 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10911-007-9044-6

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