Department of Surgery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
Cell Adh Migr. 2012 Jul-Aug;6(4):365-73. doi: 10.4161/cam.21326. Epub 2012 Jul 1.
Adherens junctions (AJs) are essential for the maintenance of epithelial homeostasis and a key factor in the regulation of cell migration and tumor progression. AJs maintain cell-cell adhesion by linking transmembrane proteins to the actin cytoskeleton. Additionally, they participate in recruitment of signaling receptors and cytoplasmic proteins to the membrane. During cellular invasion or migration, AJs are dynamically regulated and their composition modified to initiate changes in signaling pathways and cytoskeleton organization involved in cellular motility. Loss of E-cadherin, a key component of AJs, is characteristic of epithelial-mesenchymal-transition (EMT) and is associated with tumor cell invasion. We will review recent findings describing novel mechanisms involved in E-cadherin transcription regulation, endocytosis of E-cadherin and signaling associated with loss of AJs as well as reorganization of the AJ during EMT.
黏着连接（AJs）对于维持上皮组织的稳态至关重要，也是调节细胞迁移和肿瘤进展的关键因素。AJs 通过将跨膜蛋白与肌动蛋白细胞骨架连接来维持细胞间的黏附。此外，它们还参与招募信号受体和细胞质蛋白到膜上。在细胞侵袭或迁移过程中，AJs 被动态调节，其组成发生改变，从而启动参与细胞运动的信号通路和细胞骨架组织的变化。E-钙黏蛋白是 AJ 的关键成分，其丢失是上皮-间充质转化（EMT）的特征，与肿瘤细胞侵袭有关。我们将回顾描述 E-钙黏蛋白转录调控、内吞作用以及与 AJ 丢失相关的信号转导以及 EMT 过程中 AJ 重组的新机制的最新发现。
