Cdc42 regulates E-cadherin ubiquitination and degradation through an epidermal growth factor receptor to Src-mediated pathway.

E-cadherins play an essential role in maintaining epithelial polarity by forming Ca2+-dependent adherens junctions between epithelial cells. Here, we report that Ca2+ depletion induces E-cadherin ubiquitination and lysosomal degradation and that Cdc42 plays an important role in regulating this process. We demonstrate that Ca2+ depletion induces activation of Cdc42. This ...
in turn up-regulates epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling to mediate Src activation, leading to E-cadherin ubiquitination and lysosomal degradation. Silencing Cdc42 blocks activation of EGFR and Src induced by Ca2+ depletion, resulting in a reduction in E-cadherin degradation. The role of Cdc42 in regulating E-cadherin ubiquitination and degradation is underscored by the fact that constitutively active Cdc42(F28L) increases the activity of EGFR and Src and significantly enhances E-cadherin ubiquitination and lysosomal degradation. Furthermore, we found that GTP-dependent binding of Cdc42 to E-cadherin is critical for Cdc42 to induce the dissolution of adherens junctions. Our data support a model that activation of Cdc42 contributes to mesenchyme-like phenotype by targeting of E-cadherin for lysosomal degradation.
Mesh Terms:
Adherens Junctions, Amino Acid Substitution, Cadherins, Calcium, Cell Line, Enzyme Activation, Epithelial Cells, Gene Silencing, Humans, Lysosomes, Mutation, Missense, Proto-Oncogene Proteins pp60(c-src), Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Signal Transduction, Ubiquitin, Ubiquitination, cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein
J. Biol. Chem.
Date: Feb. 22, 2008
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