Plasminogen activator/plasmin system suppresses cell-cell adhesion of oral squamous cell carcinoma cells via proteolysis of E-cadherin
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- Published online on: September 1, 2005 https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.27.3.693
- Pages: 693-698
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Abstract
The participation of plasminogen activator/plasmin system in the expression and function of E-cadherin was examined in oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cells. Treatment of SCC cells with plasminogen reduced the Ca2+-dependent cell aggregation. SCC cells expressed E-cadherin at the cell membrane, and released a small amount of soluble E-cadherin at 80 kDa in the culture medium. Addition of plasminogen to SCC cells led to a decrease in the amount of E-cadherin of the cell membrane and the enhancement of the shedding of E-cadherin ectodomain. Plasmin directly cleaved E-cadherin of SCC cells and enhanced the motility of SCC cells. These results suggested that plasminogen activator/plasmin system might directly mediate the proteolytic processing of E-cadherin in oral SCC cells and that might facilitate the progression of oral SCC by downregulation of E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion.
