THE ROLE OF DESMOGLEIN-2 AND E-CADHERIN IN THE INVASION AND MOTILITY OF HUMAN BREAST-CANCER CELLS

Loss of adhesion is a fundamental step in the metastatic cascade. Desm osomal cadherins, Desmoglein (Dsg) and Desmocollin (Dsc) are a novel g roup of adhesion molecules. Aims were to demonstrate expression of Dsg 2 and E-cadherin in breast cancer cells and assess their role in invas ion and motility. Immunofluorescence and Western blotting were used to demonstrate expression of Dsg2 and E-cadherin in 3 breast cancer cell lines (MDA MB 231, MCF7 and BT474). Functional studies included cell- cell aggregation, in vitro invasion and colloidal gold phagokinetic tr acking assays. All 3 cell lines expressed Dsg2. MCF7 and BT474 cells w ere E-cadherin positive, MDA 231 was negative. Cell aggregation was re duced, in vitro invasion and motility were increased in Dsg2 or E-cadh erin Mab pre-treated cells. Dsg2 present in breast cancer cells may ac t as a tumour suppressor molecule.