P120-catenin phosphorylation status alters E-cadherin mediated cell adhesion and ability of tumor cells to metastasize.

ABSTRACT: p120-catenin is considered to be a tumor suppressor because it stabilizes E-cadherin levels at the cell surface. p120-catenin phosphorylation is increased in several types of cancer, but the role of phosphorylation in cancer is unknown. The phosphorylation state of p120-catenin is important in controlling E-cadherin homophilic binding strength which maintains epithelial junctions. Because decreased cell-cell adhesion is associated with increased cancer metastasis we hypothesize that p120-catenin phosphorylation at specific Serine and Threonine residues alters the E-cadherin binding strength between tumor cells and thereby affect the ability of tumor cells to leave the primary tumor and metastasize to distant sites. In this study we show that expression of the p120-catenin phosphorylation d

SUBMITTER: Mendonsa AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7319294 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature