Epithelial cell adhesion molecule

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Epithelial cell adhesion molecule

Existing structural data : 4MZV

Identifier
Gene name (s) EPCAM DIAR5, EGP-2, EGP314, EGP40, ESA, HNPCC8, KS1 / 4, KSA, M4S1, MIC18, MK-1, TACSTD1, TROP1
External IDs

The epithelial cell adhesion molecule ( English epithelial cell adhesion molecule , EpCAM) is a surface protein and cell adhesion molecule , which on the cell surface of various epithelial cells can be found, inter alia, and cell-cell contacts mediated. EpCAM is a target molecule in cancer therapy with antibodies in malignant growths of epithelial cells.

properties

EpCAM is found on the basolateral cell surface of high or isoprismatic epithelial cells such as. As the cells of the stomach - intestinal mucosa , the bile ducts , the mucosa of the urinary bladder , the bronchi , but also in the follicular epithelium of the thyroid . It is not found on squamous epithelia such as the skin or the lining of the mouth.

In cells that divide rapidly, it is produced more frequently. This partly takes place physiologically in the embryonic development , but also with tumor cells that usually multiply rapidly. In tumor cells can also EpCAM on cell types formed and are found at the cell surface, which normally form no EpCAM such. B. in squamous cell carcinoma . EpCAM thus represents a tumor-associated antigen for some tumors, which is used for the precise diagnosis of these tumors as well as for a specific therapy. In tumor cells, reduced gene expression from EpCAM is associated with a higher rate of metastases . EpCAM is the target molecule for the monoclonal antibody catumaxomab .

function

EpCAM molecules are transmembrane molecules. The extracellular part of a molecule binds to the extracellular part of another EpCAM molecule. This is why EpCAM is also known as a homophilic (same-binding) cell adhesion molecule. The bond can take place with molecules of the same cell as well as a neighboring cell. The intracellular part of an EpCAM binds to proteins of the cytoskeleton .

A mutation of the EpCAM responsible for the clinical picture of intestinal epithelial dysplasia (synonym tufting enteropathy ). This rare disease results in non-treatable watery diarrhea a few days after birth due to the altered intestinal mucosal cells with the need for parenteral nutrition.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Peter Fix: Investigation of the regulation of the epithelial cell adhesion molecule EpCAM. Dissertation at the LMU Munich, 2005. PDF .
  2. ^ S. Imrich, M. Hachmeister, O. Gires: EpCAM and its potential role in tumor-initiating cells. In: Cell adhesion & migration. Volume 6, Number 1, 2012 Jan-Feb, pp. 30-38, ISSN  1933-6926 . doi : 10.4161 / cam.18953 . PMID 22647938 . PMC 3364135 (free full text).
  3. ↑ BT van der Gun, LJ Melchers, MH Ruiters, LF de Leij, PM McLaughlin, MG Rots: EpCAM in carcinogenesis: the good, the bad or the ugly. In: Carcinogenesis . Volume 31, Number 11, November 2010, pp. 1913-1921, ISSN  1460-2180 . doi : 10.1093 / carcin / bgq187 . PMID 20837599 .
  4. ↑ M. Munz, PA Baeuerle, O. Gires: The emerging role of EpCAM in cancer and stem cell signaling. In: Cancer Research . Volume 69, Number 14, July 2009, pp. 5627-5629, ISSN  1538-7445 . doi : 10.1158 / 0008-5472.CAN-09-0654 . PMID 19584271 . PDF .
  5. ↑ M. Trzpis, PM McLaughlin, LM de Leij, MC Harmsen: Epithelial cell adhesion molecule: more than a carcinoma marker and adhesion molecule. In: The American Journal of Pathology . Volume 171, Number 2, August 2007, pp. 386-395, ISSN  0002-9440 . doi : 10.2353 / ajpath.2007.070152 . PMID 17600130 . PMC 1934518 (free full text).
  6. ^ O. Goulet, J. Salomon, F. Ruemmele, NP de Serres, N. Brousse: Intestinal epithelial dysplasia (tufting enteropathy). In: Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases. Volume 2, 2007, p. 20, ISSN  1750-1172 . doi : 10.1186 / 1750-1172-2-20 . PMID 17448233 . PMC 1878471 (free full text).