REVIEW: Changes in Regulation of Cell-Cell Adhesion during Tumor Transformation

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N. A. Gloushankova

Blokhin Cancer Research Center, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Kashirskoe Shosse 24, 115478 Moscow, Russia; fax: (495) 324-1205; E-mail: natglu@hotmail.com

Received December 19, 2007

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Cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion defines the integrity of most tissues. Cell-cell adherens junctions are dynamic structures whose functional state is regulated by interactions of cadherin with beta-catenin, p120, and actin cytoskeleton structures. Small GTPases of the Rho family and GTPase Rap1 play the central role in the formation and maintenance of cell-cell adhesion. Aberrant activation of signaling pathways, transcriptional repression of the E-cadherin gene, ectopic expression of N-cadherin, and disturbances in regulation of adhesive and transcriptional functions of beta-catenin stimulate tumor progression.

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KEY WORDS: cell-cell adherens junctions, cadherins, actin cytoskeleton, epithelial-mesenchymal transformation

DOI: 10.1134/S000629790807002X

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