Heterophilic NCAM-Mediated Cell Adhesion to Proteoglycans from Chick Embryonic Brain Membranes

• Published in: Experimental cell research Vol. 223; no. 2; pp. 385 - 394
• Main Authors: Storms, Scott D., Anvekar, V.Madhu, Adams, Lawrence D., Murray, Ben A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 15.03.1996
• Subjects: Animals; Brain - cytology; Brain - embryology; Cell Adhesion - physiology; Cell Fractionation; Cell Membrane - metabolism; Chick Embryo; Chondroitin Lyases; Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycans - metabolism; Chromatography, Ion Exchange; Glycosaminoglycans - pharmacology; Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans; Heparin Lyase; Heparitin Sulfate - metabolism; L Cells (Cell Line); Ligands; Mice; Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules - isolation & purification; Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules - metabolism; Octoxynol; Polysaccharide-Lyases; Proteoglycans - metabolism; Transfection
• ISSN: 0014-4827; 1090-2422
• DOI: 10.1006/excr.1996.0093

The vertebrate neural cell adhesion molecule NCAM mediates adhesion by both homophilic and heterophilic mechanisms, with heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) being likely heterophilic ligands. In this study, transfected chicken NCAM polypeptides expressed on mouse L cells mediated the adhesion of these cells to several different heparan sulfate proteoglycans in nonionic detergent extracts of Embryonic Day 10 chicken brain membranes. In addition, adhesion inhibition experiments suggested a hitherto-undetected role for chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans in the stimulation of NCAM-mediated adhesion to some, but not all, of the HSPG ligands. Our experiments support the view that NCAM is a multivalent adhesive molecule whose function is affected by interactions with extracellular matrix and cell surface molecules.