Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

E-cadherin suppression accelerates squamous cell carcinoma progression in three-dimensional, human tissue constructs.

Alexander Margulis1, Weitian Zhang, Addy Alt-Holland

  • 1Division of Cancer Biology and Tissue Engineering, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, School of Dental Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Cancer Research
|March 9, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Systemic immunosuppression limits NK cell therapy efficacy in pancreatic cancer.

Molecular cancer·2026
Same author

A human model of progressive pancreatic neoplasia and cancer.

Developmental cell·2026
Same author

Trends in Asthma-Rhinitis Allergic Multimorbidity and Polysensitization in China: The CARRAD Study.

MedComm·2026
Same author

Reshaping the Postbariatric Breast: A Single-center Experience With the Dermal Suspension Parenchymal Reshaping Mastopexy Technique.

Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open·2026
Same author

Epithelial SERPINB2 Overexpression Contributes to Impaired Fibrinolysis in Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps via tPA Downregulation.

Frontiers in bioscience (Landmark edition)·2026
Same author

Tumor cell death by ferroptosis contributes to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in syngeneic murine models of cancer.

Cancer & metabolism·2026

Loss of E-cadherin adhesion in skin cells promotes squamous cell carcinoma progression. Suppressing E-cadherin increases cell migration and invasion, leading to aggressive tumors in vivo.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Cell Biology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • E-cadherin is crucial for cell-cell adhesion and maintaining tissue structure.
  • Loss of E-cadherin function is associated with malignant transformation and cancer progression.
  • Understanding E-cadherin's role in early-stage squamous cell carcinoma is vital.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the link between E-cadherin loss and malignant properties in 3D human tissue models.
  • To analyze the impact of E-cadherin suppression on cell migration, invasion, and tumorigenesis.
  • To explore the molecular mechanisms, including matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activation, driving invasion.

Main Methods:

  • Generated 3D human tissue constructs mimicking early squamous cell cancer.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Suppressed E-cadherin expression using a dominant-negative E-cadherin fusion protein (H-2Kd-Ecad).
  • Assessed changes in cell adhesion, beta-catenin signaling, cell migration, MMP activity, and in vivo tumorigenesis.

    • Main Results:

    • E-cadherin suppression led to beta-catenin sequestration, loss of adhesion, decreased transcription, and increased cell migration.
    • 3D tissues showed disrupted architecture, focal invasion linked to MMP-2 and MMP-9 activation.
    • In vivo, E-cadherin loss accelerated tumorigenesis, promoting high-grade carcinomas and increasing tumor size.

    Conclusions:

    • E-cadherin suppression fundamentally drives squamous cell carcinoma progression towards an invasive phenotype.
    • Loss of E-cadherin function activates MMPs, facilitating basement membrane degradation and invasion.
    • Maintaining E-cadherin function is critical for preventing invasion and limiting tumor progression.