Heparanase Loosens E-Cadherin-Mediated Cell-Cell Contact via Activation of Src.

ABSTRACT: Activity of heparanase, responsible for cleavage of heparan sulfate (HS), is strongly implicated in tumor metastasis. This is due primarily to remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM) that becomes more prone to invasion by metastatic tumor cells. In addition, heparanase promotes the development of blood and lymph vessels that mobilize disseminated cells to distant organs. Here, we provide evidence for an additional mechanism by which heparanase affects cell motility, namely the destruction of E-cadherin based adherent junctions (AJ). We found that overexpression of heparanase or its exogenous addition results in reduced E-cadherin levels in the cell membrane. This was associated with a substantial increase in the phosphorylation levels of E-cadherin, β-catenin, and p120-catenin, the la

SUBMITTER: Cohen-Kaplan V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6990126 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature