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Structural determinants of Junctional Adhesion Molecule A (JAM-A) function and mechanisms of intracellular signaling

Eric A Severson1, Charles A Parkos

  • 1Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University, 615 Michael Street, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.

Current Opinion in Cell Biology
|July 18, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Junctional Adhesion Molecule A (JAM-A) protein

Area of Science:

  • Cell biology
  • Molecular biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Junctional Adhesion Molecule A (JAM-A) is a cell surface protein.
  • JAM-A has conserved structural features.
  • JAM-A influences cell migration and permeability.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To discuss recent insights into JAM-A outside-in signaling.
  • To explore how JAM-A structural elements regulate cellular functions.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on JAM-A signaling.
  • Analysis of JAM-A's structural features and their functional implications.

Main Results:

  • Specific JAM-A structural elements mediate intracellular signaling.
  • Self-dimerization and scaffold protein interactions activate Rap1.
  • JAM-A affects beta1 integrin, modulating epithelial cell migration.

Conclusions:

  • JAM-A structural features are key to its signaling functions.
  • JAM-A regulates cell migration and paracellular permeability.
  • Additional mechanisms likely contribute to JAM-A's diverse cellular roles.

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