Cadherin Expression and EMT: A Focus on Gliomas
Cadherins are calcium-binding proteins with a pivotal role in cell adhesion and tissue homeostasis. The cadherin-dependent mechanisms of cell adhesion and migration are exploited by cancer cells, contributing to tumor invasiveness and dissemination. In particular, cadherin switch is a hallmark of ep...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-09-01
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| Series: | Biomedicines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/9/10/1328 |
| _version_ | 1797515277612613632 |
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| author | Carolina Noronha Ana Sofia Ribeiro Ricardo Taipa Diogo S. Castro Joaquim Reis Cláudia Faria Joana Paredes |
| author_facet | Carolina Noronha Ana Sofia Ribeiro Ricardo Taipa Diogo S. Castro Joaquim Reis Cláudia Faria Joana Paredes |
| author_sort | Carolina Noronha |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cadherins are calcium-binding proteins with a pivotal role in cell adhesion and tissue homeostasis. The cadherin-dependent mechanisms of cell adhesion and migration are exploited by cancer cells, contributing to tumor invasiveness and dissemination. In particular, cadherin switch is a hallmark of epithelial to mesenchymal transition, a complex development process vastly described in the progression of most epithelial cancers. This is characterized by drastic changes in cell polarity, adhesion, and motility, which lead from an E-cadherin positive differentiated epithelial state into a dedifferentiated mesenchymal-like state, prone to metastization and defined by N-cadherin expression. Although vastly explored in epithelial cancers, how these mechanisms contribute to the pathogenesis of other non-epithelial tumor types is poorly understood. Herein, the current knowledge on cadherin expression in normal development in parallel to tumor pathogenesis is reviewed, focusing on epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Emphasis is taken in the unascertained cadherin expression in CNS tumors, particularly in gliomas, where the potential contribution of an epithelial-to-mesenchymal-like process to glioma genesis and how this may be associated with changes in cadherin expression is discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:43:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3ceb49b1646640f9a7cf029fdb765b14 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9059 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:43:14Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biomedicines |
| spelling | doaj.art-3ceb49b1646640f9a7cf029fdb765b142023-11-22T17:30:08ZengMDPI AGBiomedicines2227-90592021-09-01910132810.3390/biomedicines9101328Cadherin Expression and EMT: A Focus on GliomasCarolina Noronha0Ana Sofia Ribeiro1Ricardo Taipa2Diogo S. Castro3Joaquim Reis4Cláudia Faria5Joana Paredes6Neurosurgery Department, Hospital de Santo António, Centro Hospitalar Universitario do Porto, 4099-001 Porto, PortugalCancer Metastasis Group, i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, PortugalNeuropathology Unit, Hospital de Santo António, Centro Hospitalar Universitario do Porto, 4099-001 Porto, PortugalStem Cells & Neurogenesis Group, i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, PortugalNeurosurgery Department, Hospital de Santo António, Centro Hospitalar Universitario do Porto, 4099-001 Porto, PortugalNeurosurgery Department, Hospital de Santa Maria, Centro Hospitalar Universitario Lisboa Norte, 1649-028 Lisboa, PortugalCancer Metastasis Group, i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, PortugalCadherins are calcium-binding proteins with a pivotal role in cell adhesion and tissue homeostasis. The cadherin-dependent mechanisms of cell adhesion and migration are exploited by cancer cells, contributing to tumor invasiveness and dissemination. In particular, cadherin switch is a hallmark of epithelial to mesenchymal transition, a complex development process vastly described in the progression of most epithelial cancers. This is characterized by drastic changes in cell polarity, adhesion, and motility, which lead from an E-cadherin positive differentiated epithelial state into a dedifferentiated mesenchymal-like state, prone to metastization and defined by N-cadherin expression. Although vastly explored in epithelial cancers, how these mechanisms contribute to the pathogenesis of other non-epithelial tumor types is poorly understood. Herein, the current knowledge on cadherin expression in normal development in parallel to tumor pathogenesis is reviewed, focusing on epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Emphasis is taken in the unascertained cadherin expression in CNS tumors, particularly in gliomas, where the potential contribution of an epithelial-to-mesenchymal-like process to glioma genesis and how this may be associated with changes in cadherin expression is discussed.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/9/10/1328cadherinsEMTgliomas |
| spellingShingle | Carolina Noronha Ana Sofia Ribeiro Ricardo Taipa Diogo S. Castro Joaquim Reis Cláudia Faria Joana Paredes Cadherin Expression and EMT: A Focus on Gliomas Biomedicines cadherins EMT gliomas |
| title | Cadherin Expression and EMT: A Focus on Gliomas |
| title_full | Cadherin Expression and EMT: A Focus on Gliomas |
| title_fullStr | Cadherin Expression and EMT: A Focus on Gliomas |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cadherin Expression and EMT: A Focus on Gliomas |
| title_short | Cadherin Expression and EMT: A Focus on Gliomas |
| title_sort | cadherin expression and emt a focus on gliomas |
| topic | cadherins EMT gliomas |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/9/10/1328 |
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