Cell-adhesion molecules and their soluble forms: Promising predictors of “tumor progression” and relapse in leukemia

Abstract

Some surface markers are used to discriminate certain leukemic subpopulations that retain a greater oncogenic potential than others, and, for this reason, they were termed as leukemic stem cells, similar to the concept of cancer stem cells in carcinoma. Among these surface markers are proteins involved in cell-cell adhesion or cell-matrix adhesion, and they may play a role in the relapse of leukemia, similar to metastasis in carcinomas. The most important are epithelial cadherin, neural cadherin, epithelial cell-adhesion molecule, and CD44, which can be cleaved and released, and their soluble forms were found increased in serum levels of cancer patients, being implicated, in some cases, with progression, metastases, and relapse. In this review, we highlighted the role of these four adhesion molecules in carcinomas and hematological malignancies, mainly leukemia, and discuss if the serum levels of soluble forms can be correlated with the surface protein status on the leukemic cells. Accession of the soluble forms looks attractive, but their use as markers in cancer must be studied in association with other parameters, as there are significant changes in levels in other pathological conditions besides cancer. Studies correlating the levels of the forms with the status of the membrane-bound proteins in leukemic (stem) cells and correlating those parameters with relapse in leukemia may afford important knowledge and applicability of those serum markers in clinical practice. For instance, the expression of the membrane-bound forms of these adhesion proteins may have promising clinical use in leukemia and other hematological malignancies.

E-cadherin binds glycosylated sodium-taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide to facilitate hepatitis B virus entry

“…Cadherin adhesion molecules are core components in adherens junctions, located on the basement membrane aspect of polarized epithelial cells. E-cadherin, specifically, is a calcium-dependent adhesion integrin that is abundant in epithelial tissues and plays an important role in cell–cell adhesion complexes including desmosomes and adherens junctions [12]. In our study, we found significantly increased expression of E-cadherin in cells that stably or transiently expressed HBV, which is inconsistent with studies that have reported that hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) represses E-cadherin expression [13].…”

Zika Virus Infection Promotes Local Inflammation, Cell Adhesion Molecule Upregulation, and Leukocyte Recruitment at the Blood-Brain Barrier

“…In the context of CAMs, circulation of soluble extracellular domains is often associated with inflammatory states. Their serum levels are increased in cardiovascular disorders such as arteriosclerosis and in some forms of cancer (69). Moreover, they can be found in acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, which is a postinfectious inflammatory disease, and in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with multiple sclerosis, where their level correlates with disease severity (70).…”

E-cadherin Plays a Role in Hepatitis B Virus Entry Through Affecting Glycosylated Sodium-Taurocholate Cotransporting Polypeptide Distribution

“…Cadherin adhesion molecules are core components in adherens junctions, located on the basement membrane aspect of polarized epithelial cells. E-cadherin is a calcium-dependent adhesion integrin that is abundant in epithelial tissues and plays an important role in cell-cell adhesion complexes including desmosomes and adherens junctions (Fonseca et al, 2018). Ecadherin play a role in pathogen infection (Bonazzi and Cossart, 2011).…”