Published online Feb 14, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i6.966
Revised: July 10, 2005
Accepted: August 3, 2005
Published online: February 14, 2006
AIM: To explore the expression of cadherin isoforms in cultured human gastric carcinoma cells and its regulation.
METHODS: The expressions of cell adhesion molecules (including E-cadherin, N-cadherin, α-catenin, β-catenin) and cadherin transcription factors including snail, slug and twist were determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR), immunoblotting and immunofluorescence in SV40-immortalized human gastric cell line Ges-1 and human gastric cancer cell lines MGC-803, BGC-823 and SGC-7901.
RESULTS: All cell lines expressed N-cadherin, but not E-cadherin. N-cadherin immunofluorescence was detected at cell membranous adherents junctions where co-localization with immunofluorescent staining of inner surface adhesion proteins α- and β-catenins was observed. The transformed Ges-1 and gastric cancer cell lines all expressed transcription factors (snail, slug and twist) which inhibited the expression of E-cadherin and triggered epithelial-mesenchymal transformation.
CONCLUSION: Cadherin isoforms can change from E-cadherin to N-cadherin in transformed human gastric cancer cells, which is associated with intracellular events of stomach carcinogenesis and high expression of corresponding transcription factors.