Coordinate recruitment of E-cadherin and ALCAM to cell-cell contacts by alpha-catenin

Here we report on the role of alpha-catenin in the cellular localization of activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule, ALCAM and cadherin-mediated ce ll adhesion in human prostate cancer cells. Cell lines that have a function al E-cadherin-mediated cell adhesion (DU-145 and LNCaP) show ALCAM staining at cell-cell contacts. In contrast, in cell lines that lack alpha-catenin expression (ALVA-31, PC-3, and PPC-1), E-cadherin-mediated adhesion is dist urbed and ALCAM staining is cytoplasmic. A role of alpha-catenin in the rec ruitment of E-cadherin and ALCAM to cell-cell contacts was established by t ransfection of an alpha-N-catenin construct into cell lines ALVA-31 and PC- 3. This resulted not only in the correct assembly of E-cadherin/alpha-caten in complexes at the cell membrane but also in localization of ALCAM to cell -cell contacts, indicating that indeed alpha-catenin affects ALCAM localiza tion. (C) 2000 Academic Press.