T-cadherin modulates tumor-associated molecules in gallbladder cancer cells.

T-cadherin is believed to act against carcinogenesis in various tissues; however, its tumor-suppressor mechanism remains largely unclear. Using subtractive mRNA hybridization and immunoblotting, the present study identified several cancer-associated molecules whose expression was modified by T-cadherin in gallbladder cancer cells. Restoration of T-cadherin decreased the expression of Akt3 and phosphorylated Akt molecules. SET7/9, which stabilizes chromatin-bound p53, was downregulated by silencing of T-cadherin but was not regulated by the expression of T-cadherin. These finding suggest that T-cadherin might inhibit tumor progression through multiple pathways, including the Akt and SET7/9-p53 pathways.