published_or_final_version / Surgery / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Surgery / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Cadherins are a family of cell-surface proteins mediating adhesion that are important in development and maintenance of tissues. The family is defined by the repeating cadherin domain (EC) in their extracellular region, but they are diverse in terms of protein size, architecture and cellular function. The best-understood subfamily is the type I classical cadherins, which are found in vertebrates and have five EC domains. Among the five different type I classical cadherins, the binding interactions are highly specific in their homo- and heterophilic binding affinities, though their sequences are very similar. As previously shown, E- and N-cadherins, two prototypic members of the subfamily, differ in their homophilic K_D by about an order of magnitude, while their heterophilic affinity is intermediate. To examine the source of the binding affinity differences among type I cadherins, we used crystal structures, analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC), surface plasmon resonance (SPR), and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies. Phylogenetic analysis and binding affinity behavior show that the type I cadherins can be further divided into two subgroups, with E- and N-cadherin representing each. In addition to the affinity differences in their wild-type binding through the strand-swapped interface, a second interface also shows an affinity difference between E- and N-cadherin. This X-dimer interface, which is a weakly binding kinetic intermediate in E-cadherin, has a much stronger affinity in N-cadherin: nearly as strong as N-cadherin wild-type binding. In the swapped and X-dimer interactions of E- and N-cadherin, differences in hydrophobic surface area can mostly account for the affinity difference. However, several mutants of N-cadherin have a K_D an order of magnitude stronger even than the wild-type N-cadherin. In these mutants, the source of the strong affinity seems to be entropic stabilization through an equilibrium between multiple conformations with similar energies. We thus have a molecular-level understanding of vertebrate classical cadherins, with a detailed understanding of their adhesive mechanism and their binding affinity determinants. However, the adhesive mechanisms of cadherins from invertebrates, which are structurally divergent yet function in similar roles, remain unknown. We present crystal structures of the predicted N-terminal region of Drosophila N-cadherin (DN-cadherin). Of the 16 total predicted EC domains, we have crystallized the EC1-3 and EC1-4 segments. While the linker regions for the EC1-EC2 and EC3-EC4 pairs display binding of three Ca^2+ ions similar to that in vertebrate cadherins, domains EC2 and EC3 are joined in a bent orientation by a novel, previously uncharacterized Ca^2+-free linker. Based on sequence analysis of the further ECs of DN-cadherin, we predict another such Ca^2+-free linker between EC7 and EC8. Biophysical analysis demonstrates that a construct containing the first nine predicted EC domains of DN-cadherin forms homodimers with affinity similar to vertebrate classical cadherins. Intriguingly, this segment contains both the crystallized and predicted Ca^2+-free linkers, suggesting a complex binding interface. Sequence analysis of the cadherin family reveals that similar Ca^2+-free linkers are widely distributed in the ectodomains of both vertebrate and invertebrate cadherins. In cases of long cadherins, there are frequently multiple Ca^2+-free linkers in a single protein chain. It thus appears that a combination of calcium-binding and calcium-free linkers can allow cadherins to form three-dimensional arrangements that are more complex than the extended, calcium-rigidified structures in classical cadherins. Discovery of the Ca^2+-free linker, together with the differing numbers and arrangements of ECs and other domain types, implies that the cadherin superfamily is more structurally diverse than previously thought. Because little is known about the function and even less about the structure of the majority of the superfamily, studying the linear architecture (i.e. the precise sequence of ECs and the characteristics of the interdomain linkers) at the scale of the superfamily would give significant new insights on the structure and function of less-understood cadherins. With this motivation, we have constructed a cadherin database with relevant information on two different scales: the protein and the domain. On the whole protein level, we represent the architecture of each cadherin by recording the arrangement of ECs, different linker types, and other (non-EC) domain types in the protein. On the individual EC level, based on the sequence, we record the domain characteristics that give rise to the different structural features at the protein level. We have annotated over 9,600 proteins from 560 organisms, containing over 69,000 ECs; and built an online interface to search and access this information. Our aim is to provide a tool for understanding the protein architecture, function, and relationships among cadherins, a structurally diverse protein family. Together, these studies examine the relationships between sequence, structure and function of cadherins at different scales. In the classical cadherin study, small changes of one or two residues can dramatically alter the dimer conformations and thus lead to large differences in binding affinity between highly related cadherins, or between wild-type and mutant proteins. These seemingly small mutations can result in even higher binding affinity with the effect of entropic stabilization by multiple conformations. In DN-cadherin, the absence of certain calcium-binding motifs in adjacent ECs leads to a new linker type and a new interdomain orientation. This, in turn, has great implications in the global shape, and possibly the binding mechanism of the protein. The cadherin database aims to provide information at different structural levels in order to allow users to draw connections between primary sequence, domain structure and protein architecture, to ultimately learn about protein function.

The clustered protocadherins (Pcdh α, β & γ) provide individual neurons with cell surface diversity. However, the importance of Pcdh mediated diversity in neural circuit assembly and how it may promote neuronal connectivity remains largely unknown. Moreover, to date, Pcdh in vivo function has been studied at the level of individual gene clusters; whole cluster-wide function has not been addressed. Here I examine the role of all three Pcdh gene clusters in olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs); a neuronal type that expressed all three types of Pcdhs and in addition I address the role of Pcdh mediate diversity in their wiring. When OSNs share a dominant single Pcdh identity (α, β & γ) their axons fail to form distinct glomeruli, suggestive of inappropriate self-recognition of neighboring axons (loss of non-self-discrimination). By contrast, deletion of the entire α, β,γ Pcdh gene cluster, but not of each individual cluster alone, leads to loss of self-recognition and self-avoidance thus, OSN axons fail to properly arborize. I conclude that Pcdh-expression is necessary for self-recognition in OSNs, whereas its diversity allows distinction between self and non-self. Both of these functions are required for OSNs to connect and assembly into functional circuits in the olfactory bulb. My results, also reveal neuron-type specific differences in the requirement of specific Pcdh gene clusters and demonstrate significant redundancy between Pcdh isoforms in the olfactory system.

The majority of human papillomavirus (HPV) types cause cutaneous and mucosal disease. Persistent infection with high-risk HPV types is the primary risk factor for the development of cervical cancer. The ability of the virus to persist is contributed to by numerous immune evasion mechanisms. We previously demonstrated that the HPV type 16 (HPV16) E6 protein, down-regulates epithelial (E)-cadherin expression and that the associated Langerhans cells (LC) depletion may contribute to impaired immune recognition by the host. The aims of this study were firstly to establish if E6 down-regulation of E-cadherin is conserved amongst all HPV types, secondly to determine if the reduced E-cadherin expression correlates with reduced LC density in HPV-infected tissues, thirdly, to identify a region of E6 responsible in E-cadherin regulation and fourthly to establish if down-regulation of cell surface E-cadherin also occurs in another DNA tumour virus, adenovirus (Ad). E6 protein from a range of HPV types representing the α, β and γ genera was expressed in HCT116 cells and the effect on cell surface E-cadherin expression was measured by flow cytometry. In addition, a series of tissues infected with HPV types representative of HPV of α, β, [nu] and γ genera were stained to confirm E-cadherin regulation in vivo and to determine the functional significance of E-cadherin expression in relation to LC localisation. In order to identify the region of the E6 protein that was important for E-cadherin regulation, a series of HPV16 E6 mutants were tested for their ability to regulate E-cadherin. Finally, the effects of Ad on cell surface E-cadherin were examined by measuring E-cadherin expression in Ad infected HCT116 cells. E6 down-regulation of E-cadherin was conserved in α, [nu] and γ genera but was lost in β-HPV types, correlating with the ability of the virus to persist. In vivo analysis of patient tissues confirmed this pattern of E-cadherin regulation by E6 types and showed a direct association between loss of E-cadherin and LC depletion, suggesting that E-cadherin regulation by E6 is the cause of depletion of LC in infected tissue. Mutational analysis of HPV16 E6 led to the identification of a putative E-cadherin regulatory region with a conserved motif, H/L/V-[phi]-X-X-X-X-R. A potential mechanism used by E6 to regulate cell surface E-cadherin involved down-regulation of p21[waf1/cip1] (p21) via a p53-independent pathway. Finally, study of Ad showed a similar ability of the virus to regulate E-cadherin, indicating conservation in another DNA tumour virus. This research shows that E-cadherin regulation by E6 is directly associated with LC depletion and viral persistence. The data presented here suggest that LC depletion by HPV is widely conserved in HPV types that cause persistent disease. E-cadherin regulation contributes to this effect through a specific regulatory region of the protein and manipulation of levels of cellular p21. These data may provide a foundation for the development of therapeutics for HPV that aim to overcome immune evasion by the virus.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2002. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Thesis (Ph. D. in Cancer Biology)--Vanderbilt University, May 2005. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

A Caderina-E està intimamente relacionada com a transiÃÃo epitelial-mesenquimal e com a progressÃo tumoral em muitos tipos de cÃncer, inclusive no cÃncer colorretal. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a imunoexpressÃo de Caderina-E no cÃncer colorretal primÃrio e nas respectivas metÃstases linfonodais, na mucosa colÃnica normal, e investigar possÃveis correlaÃÃes desta expressÃo com parÃmetros clÃnicopatolÃgicos. Setenta e sete casos de colectomias por carcinoma colorretal e dez casos de linfonodos metastÃticos, dos arquivos do Departamento de Patologia e Medicina Legal/Universidade Federal do CearÃ, foram utilizados. Realizou-se o Tissue Microarray e imunohistoquÃmica, com anticorpo monoclonal anti-Caderina-E. Foram avaliados os seguintes escores: 0 = ausÃncia de expressÃo; 1 = expressÃo citoplasmÃtica; 2 = expressÃo mista (citoplasmÃtica e membranar); 3 = expressÃo membranar pura. Foi utilizada tanto a classificaÃÃo proposta por Jawhari et al., agrupando os casos em expressÃo anormal (escores 0, 1 e 2) e expressÃo normal (escore 3), como os critÃrios propostos por Almeida et al., agrupando os casos como expressÃo nÃo-membranar (escores 0 e 1) e expressÃo membranar (escores 2 e 3). Os tumores primÃrios tiveram mais casos de expressÃo de Caderina-E anormal em comparaÃÃo com a mucosa normal (p < 0.0001). NÃo houve diferenÃa significante entre expressÃo de Caderina-E no tumor intestinal e em metÃstases linfonodais, embora nestas a expressÃo membranar tenha sido mais freqÃente do que no sÃtio primÃrio. Tumores de cÃlulas agrupadas apresentaram maior expressÃo de Caderina-E membranar do que os de cÃlulas isoladas, tanto utilizando a classificaÃÃo de Jawhari et al. (p = 0.0230), como os critÃrios propostos por Almeida et al. (p = 0.0043). Em conclusÃo, a expressÃo anormal de Caderina-E no tumor primÃrio, com persistÃncia freqÃente da imunomarcaÃÃo membranar associada à marcaÃÃo citoplasmÃtica (marcaÃÃo anormal heterogÃnea ou mista), reforÃa as evidÃncias de que esta alteraÃÃo no cÃncer à mais qualitativa do que propriamente quantitativa. O predomÃnio da expressÃo membranar no sÃtio primÃrio da neoplasia e na metÃstase, com ou sem expressÃo citoplasmÃtica associada, principalmente em tumores de cÃlulas agrupadas, sugere que a presenÃa da Caderina-E à essencial para a invasÃo local e progressÃo tumoral, em oposiÃÃo ao clÃssico paradigma de que a progressÃo tumoral se exacerba com a perda desta molÃcula de adesÃo. / E-cadherin is closely related to epitelial-mesenchymal transition and tumor progression in many cancers, including colorectal cancer. The aim of this study is to evaluate the expression of E-cadherin in primary colorectal cancer as well as in lymph node metastasis, establishing also a comparison with the expression of E-cadherin in normal colonic mucosa. We utilized 77 cases of colectomies for colorectal carcinoma and 10 cases of metastatic lymph nodes from the files of the Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine/Federal University of Ceara. Tissue microarray and immunohistochemistry were performed with monoclonal anti-E-cadherin, evaluated using the following scores: 0 = no staining; 1 = cytoplasmic staining; 2 = mixed staining (cytoplasmic and membranous); 3 = membranous staining. It was used the classification proposed by Jawahri et al. which includes cases of abnormal expression (0, 1 and 2 scores) and cases of normal expression (3 score), and was also used the classification proposed by Almeida et al. which includes cases of non-membranous expression (0 and 1 scores) and membranous expression (2 and 3 scores). Primary tumors presented more cases of abnormal E-cadherin expression in comparison to normal colonic mucosa (p < 0.0001). There were no differences between E-cadherin expression in the primary tumor in comparison to lymph node metastasis. The grouped cell tumors showed increased expression of E-cadherin in comparison to isolated cell tumors, either using the classification proposed by Jawhari et al. (p = 0.0230) and the classification proposed by Almeida et al. (p = 0.0043). In conclusion, abnormal expression of E-cadherin in the primary tumor, with frequent membranar immunostaining associated with the cytoplasmic marking (abnormal heterogeneous or mixed staining), reinforces the evidence that E-cadherin expression change in cancer is more qualitative than quantitative. The predominance of membranar expression in primary tumor and lymph node metastasis, with or without associated cytoplasmatic expression, particularly in cell-grouped tumors, suggests that E-cadherin presence is essential for local invasion and tumor progression, as opposed to the classical paradigm that tumor progression is exacerbated by the loss of this adhesion molecule.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2007. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains vii, 114 p. : ill. (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references.

Epidermodisplasia verruciforme (EV) é uma genodermatose rara, com susceptibilidade para infecção pelo vírus do papiloma humano, considerada modelo de oncogênese viral. Comparou-se a expressão epidérmica das citoqueratinas (K) 1, 10, 14, 4, 16, involucrina, filagrina e e-caderina, em lesões de verrugas planas e nas verrugas planas da EV através de método imunohistoquímico. Na EV houve ausência ou retardo de expressão (queratinócitos mais superficias) de K1/10, com substituição pela K14. Houve expressão basal e suprabasal de K14 em ambos os grupos, bem como positividade para K4 e 16, e expressão de involucrina nas camadas mais inferiores da epiderme. A expressão de filagrina não foi alterada, e a de e-caderina apresentou-se diminuída nas células coilocitóticas superficiais na EV / Epidermodisplasia verruciforme (EV) is a rare genodermatosis with susceptibility to human papillomavirus infection, considered a model of viral oncogenesis. We compared epidermal expression of cytokeratins (K) 1, 10, 14, 4, 16, involucrin, filaggrin and e-cadherin in plane warts and plane wart-type lesions in EV by immunohistochemical technique. In EV there was absent or retarded expression (more superficial keratinocytes) of K1/10, being substituted by K14. There was basal and suprabasal expression of K14 in both groups, as well as positivity for K4 and K16, and involucrin expression in more inferior layers of epidermis. Filaggrin expression was not altered, and e-cadherin was diminished in superficial koilocytotic cells in EV