E-cadherin (also known as Arc-1, uvomorulin, and cell-CAM 120/80) is a calcium-regulated adhesion molecule expressed in most normal epithelial tissues and the loss of E-cadherin can cause dedifferentiation and invasiveness in several cancers (1). Loss of E-Cadherin expression correlated with the invasiveness of carcinoma (2). Carcinoma cell lines with an epithelioid phenotype were noninvasive and expressed E-cadherin suggesting a reciprocal relationship between levels of E-Cadherin expression and their invasiveness as detected by E-Cadherin antibodies (3).
-Western%20Blot-NB110-56937-img0004.jpg "Western Blot: E-Cadherin Antibody")
Reduced expression of E-cadherin by IHC has been observed in several aggressive tumors supporting the notion that E-cadherin is a classic tumor suppressor gene (4). Invasiveness of these latter cells could be prevented by transfection with E-cadherin cDNA and was again induced by treatment of the transfected cells with anti-E-cadherin mAbs. These findings indicate that the selective loss of E-cadherin expression can generate dedifferentiation and invasiveness of human carcinoma cells, and further suggest that E-cadherin acts as a tumor suppressor (5).
Novus Biologicals offers various E-cadherin reagents for your products research needs including:
