Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) are found on the surfaces of all cells, where they bind to extracellular matrix molecules or to receptors on other cells. As well as having a structural role, CAMs function as signaling receptors, transducing signals initiated by cellular interactions which regulate many diverse processes, including cell division, migration, and differentiation. Cell adhesion molecules are essential for maintaining stable tissue structure. However, cell adhesion must be dynamic to facilitate the mobility and turnover of cells. In dynamic situations, cells alter their cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions by virtue of altered expression and function of CAMs. The expression of CAMs is normally tightly regulated, thereby controlling cell proliferation, mobility, differentiation, and survival. Many of these processes are misregulated in malignant tumors, and it has been shown that many of the characteristics of tumor cells are attributable to the aberrant expression or function of CAMs.Integrins and E-cadherin are the most important CAMs expressed by stratified squamous epithelium. Altered expression of these molecules has been found in oral carcinoma, where loss of CAM expression is often seen in poorly differentiated lesions.However, up-regulation of certain integrins, such as av16, has consistently been found in oral cancer, suggesting that it may play an active role in disease progression.Key words. Oral cancer, cell adhesion molecules, integrins, cadherins, selectins, immunoglobulin superfamily, CD44.
(I) IntroductionCell adhesion molecules (CAMs) are found on the surfaces of all cells, where they bind to extracellular matrix molecules or to receptors on other cells. Cell adhesion is critical in the dynamic processes necessary for tissue morphogenesis in development and the maintenance of complex differentiated tissues in adult organisms. CAMs serve in these roles by virtue of their capacity to connect the exterior of the cell with the interior. They form structural linkages between the cell cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix or between cells, and also function as signaling receptors, transducing signals initiated by cellular interactions which regulate many diverse processes, including cell division, migration, and differentiation ( Fig. 1).Cell adhesion molecules are essential for maintaining the stable structure of stratified squamous epithelium. In normal epithelium, keratinocytes are attached to each other and to the underlying basement membrane. Cell adhesion, however, must be dynamic to facilitate the mobility and turnover of cells. In dynamic situations, keratinocytes alter their cell-cell and cell-ECM interactions by virtue of altered expression and function of CAMs.The expression of cell adhesion molecules is normally tightly regulated-forming, persisting, or declining in an ordered fashion. This allows for controlled cell proliferation, mobility, differentiation, and survival. Many of these processes are misregulated in malignant tumors, and it has been shown that man...