PlumX Metrics
Embed PlumX Metrics

Maintenance of the epithelial barrier in a bronchial epithelial cell line in dependent on functional E-cadherin local to the tight junctions

Cell Communication and Adhesion, ISSN: 1061-5385, Vol: 9, Issue: 1, Page: 29-44
2002
  • 21
    Citations
  • 0
    Usage
  • 15
    Captures
  • 0
    Mentions
  • 0
    Social Media
Metric Options:   Counts1 Year3 Year

Metrics Details

  • Citations
    21
    • Citation Indexes
      21
  • Captures
    15

Article Description

Tight junctions (TJ) are essential components of polarized epithelia, and E-cadherin is important for their formation and maintenance. The bronchial epithelial cell line, 16HBE14o-expresses E- and P-cadherin, but not N-cadherin. E- and P-cadherin levels changed during culture, the former increasing after confluence, and the latter were markedly reduced. All detectable E-cadherin was bound to β- and γ-catenins. We investigated involvement of E-cadherin with epithelial integrity using an E-cadherin specific, function-blocking antibody, SHE78-7. Surprisingly, apical SHE78-7 exposure caused a prompt fall in transepithelial resistance (TER), while TER remained unchanged for 8 hrs after basal exposure then dropped. SHE78-7 exposure increased epithelial permeability to mannitol, inulin, and 9.5 kDa and 77 kDa dextrans and caused fragmentation and loss of the tight junction protein, ZO-1, from the cell borders in some areas. Ultrastructural studies showed that all junctional intercellular contact was lost in the center of SHE78-7 induced lesions. Near the lesion periphery, epithelial structure was maintained, but TJs were dysfunctional as shown by ruthenium red penetration. Analysis of epithelial penetration by SHE78-7 revealed discrete, local defects in the apical barrier at the top of some cell hills that permitted rapid access of the antibody to E-cadherin near the apical surface. In contrast, after basal exposure, antibody initially engaged with E-cadherin nearer the basal surface and only accessed apical E-cadherin later. Taken together with the TER measurements, these data suggest compartmentalization of E-cadherin function within 16HBE14o- cells, with only the apical E-cadherin adjacent to the tight junctions contributing to the function of the latter.

Bibliographic Details

West, M. R.; Ferguson, D. J. P.; Hart, V. J.; Sanjar, S.; Man, Y.

Informa UK Limited

Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Provide Feedback

Have ideas for a new metric? Would you like to see something else here?Let us know