THE ROLE OF JAM-A IN CANCER METASTASIS AND SPERMATOGENESIS

本子项目是利用由NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源的众多研究子项目之一。子项目和研究者（PI）可能已经从另一个NIH来源获得了主要资金，因此可以在其他CRISP条目中表示。列出的机构是中心的，不一定是研究者的机构。细胞-细胞连接在生理过程中很重要，紧密连接有助于维持上皮细胞层，保护多细胞生物免受环境的影响。参与形成这些连接的细胞表面粘附蛋白在附着丧失中起作用，从而导致细胞迁移。我们已经鉴定并表征了一种新的细胞粘附分子，连接粘附分子- a (JAM-A)，它在内皮细胞和上皮细胞紧密连接处表达。我们的研究结果暗示JAM-A在导致迁移行为的事件中，包括癌细胞转移，以及低生育能力。因此，我们建议在本提案中验证以下假设：1)乳腺癌细胞的转移行为与JAM-A的表达水平有关。我们将确定JAM-A在具有一系列转移潜力的乳腺癌细胞系中的表达。我们将比较JAM-A的表达与转移潜能，并使用细胞和小鼠模型来证实这种关系。2) JAM-A的翻译后修饰影响乳腺癌细胞的转移能力。我们将确定JAM-A的翻译后修饰是否与这些细胞的转移行为有关。同样，我们将利用体内和体外的肿瘤转移模型。3)通过JAM-A信号调控乳腺癌细胞的转移潜能。通过JAM-A诱导的细胞内信号通路将被表征。4) JAM-A的表达减少和/或翻译后修饰影响支持细胞紧密连接，导致精子发生异常。我们将描述JAM-A WT和K/O小鼠睾丸中的Sertoli-Sertoli紧密连接动力学，以及后者的睾丸组织学，然后使用sertoli细胞特异性启动子驱动JAM-A转基因基因的表达，对JAM-A K/O小鼠的低生育能力进行转基因拯救。我们的研究结果将有助于明确JAM-A在癌细胞转移和男性低生育能力中的作用，并可以确定治疗靶点。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Cell-cell junctions are important in physiological processes, with tight junctions helping to maintain the epithelial cell layer that protects multicellular organisms from the environment. Cell surface adhesion proteins involved in forming these junctions play a role in the loss of attachment, which leads cells to become migratory. We have identified and characterized a novel cell adhesion molecule, Junctional Adhesion Molecule-A (JAM-A), which is expressed at endothelial and epithelial cell tight junctions. Our results implicate JAM-A in the events leading to migratory behavior, including cancer cell metastasis, as well as in subfertility. We therefore propose to test the following hypotheses in this proposal: 1) Metastatic behavior of breast cancer cells is related to the expression level of JAM-A. We will determine the expression of JAM-A in breast cancer cell lines with a range of metastatic potentials. We will compare the expression of JAM-A to the metastatic potential, and use cellular and mouse models to confirm the relationship. 2) Post-translational modifications of JAM-A influence the metastatic ability of breast cancer cells. We will determine if post-translational modification of JAM-A is related to the metastatic behavior of these cells. Again we will utilize in vitro, as well as in vivo, models of tumor metastasis. 3) Signaling through JAM-A regulates the metastatic potential of breast cancer cells. The intracellular signaling pathway induced through JAM-A will be characterized. 4) Reduced expression and/or post-translational modification of JAM-A affect Sertoli cell tight junctions, leading to abnormal spermatogenesis. We will characterize the Sertoli-Sertoli tight junction dynamics in the testis of JAM-A WT and K/O mice, and the testicular histology in the latter, and then perform a transgenic rescue of the subfertility in JAM-A K/O mice using a Sertoli-cell specific promoter to drive the expression of a JAM-A transgene. Our results will help define the role of JAM-A in cancer cell metastasis and male subfertility, and can identify therapeutic targets.