CRBM, University of Montpellier and CNRS, 34293 Montpellier, France.
Cells. 2020 Sep 19;9(9):2128. doi: 10.3390/cells9092128.
The Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule or EpCAM is a well-known marker highly expressed in carcinomas and showing a strong correlation with poor cancer prognosis. While its name relates to its proposed function as a cell adhesion molecule, EpCAM has been shown to have various signalling functions. In particular, it has been identified as an important positive regulator of cell adhesion and migration, playing an essential role in embryonic morphogenesis as well as intestinal homeostasis. This activity is not due to its putative adhesive function, but rather to its ability to repress myosin contractility by impinging on a PKC signalling cascade. This mechanism confers EpCAM the unique property of favouring tissue plasticity. I review here the currently available data, comment on possible connections with other properties of EpCAM, and discuss the potential significance in the context of cancer invasion.
上皮细胞黏附分子（EpCAM）是一种在癌组织中高度表达的已知标志物，与不良的癌症预后具有很强的相关性。尽管其名称与作为细胞黏附分子的预期功能有关，但已证实 EpCAM 具有多种信号功能。特别是，它已被确定为细胞黏附和迁移的重要正调节剂，在胚胎形态发生以及肠道动态平衡中发挥着重要作用。这种活性不是由于其假定的黏附功能，而是由于其通过影响 PKC 信号级联来抑制肌球蛋白收缩的能力。这种机制赋予 EpCAM 促进组织可塑性的独特特性。本文综述了目前可获得的数据，对与 EpCAM 其他特性的可能联系进行了评论，并讨论了在癌症侵袭背景下的潜在意义。
