CEA adhesion molecules: multifunctional proteins with signal-regulatory properties (original) (raw)

Abstract

The carcinoembryonic antigen family comprises a large number of complex molecules, several of which possess cell adhesion activities. The primordial adhesion molecules of this family are the cell—cell adhesion molecules (C-CAMs), which have been found to be multifunctional, signal-regulatory proteins. C-CAMs inhibit tumor growth, interact with calmodulin, protein tyrosine kinases and protein tyrosine phosphatases, and are subject to specific dimerization reactions. These new insights indicate that C-CAMs are important regulators of cellular functions.

Abbreviations: Bgp biliary glycoprotein in mouse, BGP biliary glycoprotein in man, C-CAM cell—cell adhesion molecule, CEA carcinoembryonic antigen, CGM CEA gene family member, GPI glycosylphosphatidylinositol, Ig immunoglobulin, IgSF Ig gene superfamily, ITAM immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif, ITIM immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motif, L long, NCA nonspecific cross-reactive antigen, PTK protein tyrosine kinase, PTP protein tyrosine phosphatase, S short, SH Src homology, SHP SH2-domain-containing PTP, SIRP signal-regulatory protein

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