REDUCED GENE-EXPRESSION OF E-CADHERIN AND ASSOCIATED CATENINS IN HUMAN CERVICAL-CARCINOMA CELL-LINES

Cell-cell adhesion mediated by E-cadherin is often lost or disturbed i n human carcinomas. For regular adhesive function, E-cadherin has to f orm complexes with peripheral cytoplasmic catenins which are multifunc tional proteins that are also involved in signal transduction and grow th regulation. We have analyzed the expression levels of the genes enc oding alpha-catenin, beta-catenin and plakoglobin in correlation to th e E-cadherin expression levels in cell lines derived from human cervic al carcinomas. Reduced mRNA and protein levels were detected for plako globin, whereas alpha- and beta-catenin showed only reduced protein (b ut not mRNA) levels. The alterations in catenin gene expression were o ften associated with absent or reduced E-cadherin. The findings indica te that a reduction of catenin gene expression may contribute to the d evelopment of cervical carcinomas. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland L td.