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Title: Dystroglycan loss disrupts polarity and beta-casein induction inmammary epithelial cells by perturbing laminin anchoring

Journal Article · · Journal of Chemical Sciences
OSTI ID:919500

Precise contact between epithelial cells and their underlying basement membrane is critical to the maintenance of tissue architecture and function. To understand the role that the laminin receptor dystroglycan (DG) plays in these processes, we assayed cell responses to laminin-111 following conditional ablation of DG expression in cultured mammary epithelial cells (MECs). Strikingly, DG loss disrupted laminin-111-induced polarity and {beta}-casein production, and abolished laminin assembly at the step of laminin binding to the cell surface. DG re-expression restored these deficiencies. Investigations of mechanism revealed that DG cytoplasmic sequences were not necessary for laminin assembly and signaling, and only when the entire mucin domain of extracellular DG was deleted did laminin assembly not occur. These results demonstrate that DG is essential as a laminin-111 co-receptor in MECs that functions by mediating laminin anchoring to the cell surface, a process that allows laminin polymerization, tissue polarity, and {beta}-casein induction. The observed loss of laminin-111 assembly and signaling in DG-/-MECs provides insights into the signaling changes occurring in breast carcinomas and other cancers, where DG's laminin-binding function is frequently defective.

Research Organization:
COLLABORATION - California Pacific MedicalCenter Research Institute/SF
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Director, Office of Science; National Institutes ofHealth
DOE Contract Number:
DE-AC02-05CH11231; NIHR01 CA10957-01
OSTI ID:
919500
Report Number(s):
LBNL-59976; R&D Project: 443180; BnR: KP1104010; TRN: US200822%%370
Journal Information:
Journal of Chemical Sciences, Vol. 119; Related Information: Journal Publication Date: 09/2006
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English