Mass Spectrometry Analysis of E-cadherin Mediated Cell-Cell Adhesion

摘要

E-cadherin is a glycoprotein epithelial cell-cell adhesion receptor with important roles in cell differentiation and proliferation, as well as tumor suppression. E-cadherin dimers on one cell intercalate with E-cadherin dimers on neighboring cells through their extracellular domains. This adhesion is strengthened through the binding of either beta- or gamma-catenins to the cytoplasmic region of E-cadherin followed by the recruitment of alpha-catenin which mediates association with the actin cytoskeleton. Recruitment of additional proteins, including scaffold and signaling molecules, and actin cross-linking, modulate the overall adhesive strength. Recent studies have indicated a correlation between E-cadherin N-glycosylation and E-cadherin-mediated intracellular adhesion. Using mass spectrometry, we are investigating changes in the E-cadherin junctional complex when N-glycosylation of E-cadherin is partially inhibited.