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Cadherin/catenin complex: a target for antiinvasive therapy?

M Mareel1, G Berx, F Van Roy

  • 1Department of Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital, Gent, Belgium.

Journal of Cellular Biochemistry
|June 15, 1996
PubMed

Insights

Targeting the E-cadherin/catenin complex offers a promising strategy for anti-cancer invasion therapy. This complex

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Cancer invasion is a significant obstacle in effective cancer therapy.
  • The balance between molecular invasion-promoter and invasion-suppressor complexes dictates cancer cell invasiveness.
  • The E-cadherin/catenin complex acts as a key invasion-suppressor complex with multifactorial regulation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the E-cadherin/catenin complex as a therapeutic target for anti-invasion strategies.
  • To understand the mechanisms regulating the E-cadherin/catenin complex's function in cancer invasion.

Main Methods:

  • Review of molecular mechanisms regulating E-cadherin/catenin complex stability and function.
  • Analysis of genetic and posttranslational modifications affecting E-cadherin/catenin complex activity.
  • Investigation of extracellular and intracellular interactions involving the E-cadherin/catenin complex.

Main Results:

  • E-cadherin/catenin complex downregulation can be irreversible (gene mutations) or reversible (beta-catenin phosphorylation).
  • Tyrosine phosphorylation of beta-catenin and transmembrane receptor signaling impact complex function.
  • Extracellular homophilic E-cadherin interaction via the HAV sequence is crucial for cell adhesion.
  • Insulin-like growth factor-I and tamoxifen have demonstrated potential to upregulate the complex and inhibit invasion in vitro.

Conclusions:

  • The E-cadherin/catenin complex is a viable and attractive target for developing novel anti-invasion therapies.
  • Targeting the reversible regulatory mechanisms of the E-cadherin/catenin complex holds therapeutic potential.
  • Further research into modulating this complex could lead to effective anti-invasive cancer treatments.

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