Influence of cAMP on E-cadherin expression and cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycan synthesis in human breast cancer cells
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2026

Quantification of Breast Cancer Cell Invasiveness Using a Three-dimensional (3D) Model
Published on: June 11, 2014
F Revillion1, B Vandewalle, L Hornez
1Laboratoire d'Endocrinologie Expérimentale, Centre Oscar Lambret, Lille, France.
Abstract:
The growth of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells was inhibited by treatment with dibutyryl cAMP (dBcAMP, 10(-4) M). The effects on E-cadherin expression and cell surface associated heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG) synthesis, both implicated in cell adhesion, were investigated. dBcAMP was demonstrated to increase E-cadherin expression in the E-cadherin positive MCF-7 cells. However, in the E-cadherin negative MDA-MB-231 cells, the treatment did not induce expression of this cell adhesion molecule. Furthermore, in the two cell lines, an increase of the [35S] Na2SO4 incorporation into the cell surface sulfated PG was observed subsequently to dBcAMP treatment. Interestingly, the proportion of cell surface HSPG was also enhanced by this treatment. Taken together, these results demonstrate that the decrease of the proliferation observed in the human breast cancer cells after dBcAMP treatment is associated with an increase in the cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. This suggests that the metastatic process which involves lack of cohesiveness and migration of the cells may probably be counteracted by cAMP in the human breast cancer cells.
Related Concept Videos
Activation of Integrins
In "outside-in signaling," external factors in the extracellular space bind to exposed ligand binding sites on integrins. This causes the inactive protein to undergo a conformational change to become active. Integrins are often clustered on the cell membrane. Repetitive and regularly spaced ligand binding events provide an effective stimulus.
Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions
Some...
Structure of Cadherins
Adherens Junctions
Adherens Junctions are Dynamic
The endothelial cells...
Cadherins in Tissue Organization
Cell Sorting During Development
Cell sorting plays an...
Role of Ephrin-Eph Signalling in Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal

