EpCAM (CD326) Regulates Intestinal Epithelial Integrity and Stem Cells via Rho-Associated Kinase.

ABSTRACT: Humans with biallelic inactivating mutations in Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule (EpCAM) develop congenital tufting enteropathy (CTE). To gain mechanistic insights regarding EpCAM function in this disorder, we prepared intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) organoids and spheroids. IEC organoids and spheroids were generated from ROSA-Cre^ERT2 EpCAM^fl/fl mice. Proliferation, tight junctions, cell polarity and epithelial integrity were assessed in tamoxifen-induced EpCAM-deficient organoids via confocal immunofluorescence microscopy and Western blotting. Olfm4-expressing stem cells were assessed in IEC cells in vitro and in vivo via fluorescence in situ hybridization. To determine if existing drugs could ameliorate effects of EpCAM deficiency in IEC cells, a variety of

SUBMITTER: Ouchi T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7912093 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature