Alternative molecular mechanisms for force transmission at adherens junctions via ß-catenin-vinculin interaction.

Force transmission through adherens junctions (AJs) is crucial for multicellular organization, wound healing and tissue regeneration. Recent studies shed light on the molecular mechanisms of mechanotransduction at the AJs. However, the canonical model fails to explain force transmission when essential proteins of the mechanotransduction module are mutated or missing. Here, we demonstrate that, in absence of α-catenin, ß-catenin can directly and functionally interact with vinculin in its open conformation, bearing physiological forces. Furthermore, we found that ß-catenin can prevent vinculin autoinhibition in the presence of α-catenin by occupying vinculin´s head-tail interaction site, thus preserving force transmission capability. Taken together, our findings suggest a multi-step force transmission process at AJs, where α-catenin and ß-catenin can alternatively and cooperatively interact with vinculin. This can explain the graded responses needed to maintain tissue mechanical homeostasis and, importantly, unveils a force-bearing mechanism involving ß-catenin and extended vinculin that can potentially explain the underlying process enabling collective invasion of metastatic cells lacking α-catenin.

Effect of tricalcium silicate cements in gene expression of COL1A1, MAPK's, and NF-kB, and cell adhesion in primary teeth' pulp fibroblasts.

Tricalcium silicate cements (TSCs) regulate gene expression and cell responses from dental tissues surrounding the repair site. The study aimed to evaluate the gene expression levels of Collagen Type I Alpha 1 Chain (COL1A1), Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases (MAPK's), Nuclear Factor-Kappa B (NF-κB), cell adhesion, and morphology of human dental pulp fibroblasts (hDPFs) from primary teeth treated with eluates obtained from Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA) and Biodentine. hDPFs were treated with eluates from Biodentine and MTA (2.5 mg/mL in culture medium). The control group was a culture without the eluates. Gene expressions of COL1A1, MAPK's, and NF-κB were evaluated using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and cell adhesion by immunocytochemistry for Vinculin and Integrin ß1 expression. Gene expression of MAPK's and NF-κB in hDPFs with the eluates from MTA and Biodentine showed no significant difference versus the control group (p > 0.05), but COL1A1 exhibited a significant difference (p < 0.05). The expression of COL1A1, MAPK's, and NF-κB was lower in cultures with MTA and Biodentine eluates regarding the control group, with no significant difference between MTA and Biodentine (p > 0.05). After 72 h of incubation, the hDPFs cultured with MTA and Biodentine eluates showed an elongated morphology; after 7 d, a loss or/and reduction of the cytoplasmic processes, and smaller nuclei were observed. Vinculin and Integrin ß1 were expressed in hDPFs treated with MTA and Biodentine eluates. MTA and Biodentine did not inhibit or generate a significant difference in the expression levels of COL1A1, MAPK's, and NF-κB in hDPFs.

Correlation of cellular traction forces and dissociation kinetics of adhesive protein zyxin revealed by multi-parametric live cell microscopy.

Cells exert traction forces on the extracellular matrix to which they are adhered through the formation of focal adhesions. Spatial-temporal regulation of traction forces is crucial in cell adhesion, migration, cellular division, and remodeling of the extracellular matrix. By cultivating cells on polyacrylamide hydrogels of different stiffness we were able to investigate the effects of substrate stiffness on the generation of cellular traction forces by Traction Force Microscopy (TFM), and characterize the molecular dynamics of the focal adhesion protein zyxin by Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS) and Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching (FRAP). As the rigidity of the substrate increases, we observed an increment of both, cellular traction generation and zyxin residence time at the focal adhesions, while its diffusion would not be altered. Moreover, we found a positive correlation between the traction forces exerted by cells and the residence time of zyxin at the substrate elasticities studied. We found that this correlation persists at the subcellular level, even if there is no variation in substrate stiffness, revealing that focal adhesions that exert greater traction present longer residence time for zyxin, i.e., zyxin protein has less probability to dissociate from the focal adhesion.

Losartan through Hsp70 Avoids Angiotensin II Induced Mesenchymal Epithelial Transition in Proximal Tubule Cells from Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Renal injury related to hypertension is characterized by glomerular and tubulointerstitial damage. The overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system mainly by angiotensin II (AII) seems to be a main contributor to progressive renal fibrosis. Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a mechanism that promotes renal fibrosis. Owing to heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) cytoprotective properties, the chaperone exhibits an important potential as a therapeutic target. We investigate the role of Hsp70 on Angiotensin II induced epithelial mesenchymal transition within the Losartan effect in proximal tubule cells (PTCs) from a genetic model of hypertension in rats (SHR). METHODS: Primary cell culture of PTCs from SHR and Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were stimulated with AII, treated with Losartan (L), (L+AII) or untreated (Cc). The functional Hsp70 role in Losartan effect, after silencing its expression by cell transfection, was determined by Immunofluorescence; Western blotting; Gelatin Zymography assays; Scratch wound assays; flow cytometry; and Live Cell Time-lapse microscopy. RESULTS: (L) and (L+AII) treatments induced highly organized actin filaments and increased cortical actin in SHR PTCs. However, SHR PTCs (Cc) and (AII) treated cells showed disorganized actin. After Hsp72 knockdown in SHR PTCs, (L) was unable to stabilize the actin cytoskeleton. We demonstrated that (L) and (L+AII) increased E-cadherin levels and decreased vinculin, α-SMA, vimentin, pERK, p38 and Smad2-3 activation compared to (AII) and (Cc) SHR PTCs. Moreover, (L) inhibited MMP-2 and MMP-9 secretion, reduced migration and cellular displacement, stabilizing intercellular junctions. Notably, (L) treatment in shHsp72 knockdown SHR PTCs showed results similar to SHR PTCs (Cc). CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that Losartan through Hsp70 inhibits the EMT induced by AII in proximal tubule cells derived from SHR.

Lonomia obliqua bristle extract modulates Rac1 activation, membrane dynamics and cell adhesion properties.

Lonomia obliqua is a caterpillar of potential therapeutic interest whose venom is able to induce severe blood leakage and modulate leukocyte migration. Since both phenotypes are associated with changes in cytoskeleton dynamics and cell adhesion properties, the aim of this study was to analyze the effects of Lonomia obliqua bristle extract (LOBE) in cell adhesion and migration signaling. Proteomic analysis revealed that epithelial cells (CHO-K1) exposed to LOBE (30 µg/mL, 30 min) exhibited changes in levels of actin regulatory proteins, including RhoGTPases. These changes correlated with an increase in the activity of the RhoGTPase family member Rac as measured by Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET). When plated in migration promoting conditions, CHO-K1 cells exposed to LOBE (10 µg/mL) showed an increase in membrane ruffling after short (30 min) period of incubation that was accompanied by changes in the distribution of the adhesion markers paxillin, vinculin and an increase of focal adhesion kinase autophosphorylation levels (Y397), suggesting changes in cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) adhesion properties and signaling. These data suggest that LOBE possesses bioactive molecules that are capable to modulated cell migration signaling, cytoskeletal dynamics and cell-ECM properties of several cell types.

Live cell imaging reveals focal adhesions mechanoresponses in mammary epithelial cells under sustained equibiaxial stress.

Mechanical stimuli play a key role in many cell functions such as proliferation, differentiation and migration. In the mammary gland, mechanical signals such as the distension of mammary epithelial cells due to udder filling are proposed to be directly involved during lactation and involution. However, the evolution of focal adhesions -specialized multiprotein complexes that mechanically connect cells with the extracellular matrix- during the mammary gland development, as well as the influence of the mechanical stimuli involved, remains unclear. Here we present the use of an equibiaxial stretching device for exerting a sustained normal strain to mammary epithelial cells while quantitatively assessing cell responses by fluorescence imaging techniques. Using this approach, we explored changes in focal adhesion dynamics in HC11 mammary cells in response to a mechanical sustained stress, which resembles the physiological stimuli. We studied the relationship between a global stress and focal adhesion assembly/disassembly, observing an enhanced persistency of focal adhesions under strain as well as an increase in their size. At a molecular level, we evaluated the mechanoresponses of vinculin and zyxin, two focal adhesion proteins postulated as mechanosensors, observing an increment in vinculin molecular tension and a slower zyxin dynamics while increasing the applied normal strain.

Focal adhesion proteins, vinculin and integrin ß5, during early pregnancy in rat uterine epithelial cells: anastrozole favors their normal distribution / Proteínas de adhesión focales, vinculina e integrina ß5, durante el embarazo temprano en células epiteliales uterinas de rata: anastrozol favorece su distribución normal

SUMMARY: An alternative superovulator to replace clomiphene citrate is needed as clomiphene citrate is associated with low pregnancy rates. Anastrozole is an effective superovulator, but it has not been well researched. In order to determine the effectiveness of anastrozole as a superovulator and to compare it with clomiphene citrate in similar situations, this study ascertained the effects of these drugs on the expression of the focal adhesion proteins, vinculin and integrin β5, which are uterine receptivity markers, in the uterine epithelial cells of day 1 and day 6 pregnant Wistar rats. The results show that vinculin and integrin β5 are co-localized at the base of the uterine epithelium at day 1 of pregnancy whereas at day 6, they disassemble from the basal focal adhesions and co-localize and significantly increase their expression apically (p≤0.0001). Moreover, there is a significant difference in the protein expression levels of vinculin and integrin b5 in uterine luminal epithelial cells between untreated (control) and chlomiphene citrate treated rats (p≤0.0001), anastrozole and chlomiphene citrate treated rats at day 6 (p≤0.0001) suggesting the interpretation that anastrozole seems to enhance their expression in order to perhaps assist in the implantation process of the blastocyst. The immunofluorescence experiments agree with the vinculin and integrin β5 gene expression findings in which at day 6 of pregnancy, vinculin and integrin β5 gene expression are significantly upregulated in uterine luminal epithelial cells in the anastrozole treated group relative to the calibrator sample (p≤0.0001). These findings suggest that anastrozole is implantation friendly.

RESUMEN: Es necesario un superovulador alternativo para reemplazar el citrato de clomifeno, debido a que está asociado con bajas tasas de preñez. El anastrozol es un superovulador eficaz, sin embargo es poca su investigación. Con el fin de determinar la efectividad del anastrozol como superovulador y compararlo con citrato de clomifeno en situaciones similares, se determinaron los efectos de estos fármacos sobre la expresión de las proteínas de adhesión focal, vinculina e integrina β5, en marcadores de receptividad uterina en días 1 y 6, en las células epiteliales uterinas de ratas Wistar preñadas. Los resultados muestran que la vinculina y la integrina β5 se co-localizan en la base del epitelio uterino al día 1 de la gravidez mientras que al día 6 se desmontan de las adherencias focales basales, co-localizan y aumentan significativamente su expresión apicalmente (p≤0.0001). Además, existe una diferencia significativa en los niveles de expresión de proteína de vinculina e integrina β5 en células epiteliales luminales uterinas entre ratas no tratadas (control) y tratadas con citrato declomifeno (p≤0.0001), ratas tratadas con anastrozol y citrato declomifeno al día 6 (p≤0,0001) sugiriendo la interpretación de que el anastrozol parece mejorar su expresión con el fin de ayudar en el proceso de implantación del blastocisto. Los experimentos de inmunofluorescencia coinciden con los resultados de la expresión de los genes vinculina e integrina β5 en los cuales al día 6 de la preñez, la vinculina y la integrina β5 están significativamente reguladas en células epiteliales luminales uterinas en el grupo tratado con anastrozol con respecto a la muestra del calibrador (p<0,0001). Estos hallazgos sugieren que el anastrozol es favorable para la implantación.

Human neural stem/progenitor cells derived from the olfactory epithelium express the TrkB receptor and migrate in response to BDNF.

Neurogenesis constitutively occurs in the olfactory epithelium of mammals, including humans. The fact that new neurons in the adult olfactory epithelium derive from resident neural stem/progenitor cells suggests a potential use for these cells in studies of neural diseases, as well as in neuronal cell replacement therapies. In this regard, some studies have proposed that the human olfactory epithelium is a source of neural stem/progenitor cells for autologous transplantation. Although these potential applications are interesting, it is important to understand the cell biology and/or whether human neural stem/progenitor cells in the olfactory epithelium sense external signals, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), that is also found in other pro-neurogenic microenvironments. BDNF plays a key role in several biological processes, including cell migration. Thus, we characterized human neural stem/progenitor cells derived from the olfactory epithelium (hNS/PCs-OE) and studied their in vitro migratory response to BDNF. In the present study, we determined that hNS/PCs-OE express the protein markers Nestin, Sox2, Ki67 and ßIII-tubulin. Moreover, the doubling time of hNS/PCs-OE was approximately 38h. Additionally, we found that hNS/PCs-OE express the BDNF receptor TrkB, and pharmacological approaches showed that the BDNF-induced (40ng/ml) migration of differentiated hNS/PCs-OE was affected by the compound K252a, which prevents TrkB activation. This observation was accompanied by changes in the number of vinculin adhesion contacts. Our results suggest that hNS/PCs-OE exhibit a migratory response to BDNF, accompanied by the turnover of adhesion contacts.

Coupling of vinculin to F-actin demands Syndecan-4 proteoglycan.

Syndecans are heparan sulfate proteoglycans characterized as transmembrane receptors that act cooperatively with the cell surface and extracellular matrix proteins. Syn4 knockdown was performed in order to address its role in endothelial cells (EC) behavior. Normal EC and shRNA-Syn4-EC cells were studied comparatively using complementary confocal, super-resolution and non-linear microscopic techniques. Confocal and super-resolution microscopy revealed that Syn4 knockdown alters the level and arrangement of essential proteins for focal adhesion, evidenced by the decoupling of vinculin from F-actin filaments. Furthermore, Syn4 knockdown alters the actin network leading to filopodial protrusions connected by VE-cadherin-rich junction. shRNA-Syn4-EC showed reduced adhesion and increased migration. Also, Syn4 silencing alters cell cycle as well as cell proliferation. Moreover, the ability of EC to form tube-like structures in matrigel is reduced when Syn4 is silenced. Together, the results suggest a mechanism in which Syndecan-4 acts as a central mediator that bridges fibronectin, integrin and intracellular components (actin and vinculin) and once silenced, the cytoskeleton protein network is disrupted. Ultimately, the results highlight Syn4 relevance for balanced cell behavior.

Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Regulates Cell Proliferation and Migration.

BACKGROUND: The angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE) plays a central role in the renin-angiotensin system, acting by converting the hormone angiotensin-I to the active peptide angiotensin-II (Ang-II). More recently, ACE was shown to act as a receptor for Ang-II, and its expression level was demonstrated to be higher in melanoma cells compared to their normal counterparts. However, the function that ACE plays as an Ang-II receptor in melanoma cells has not been defined yet. AIM: Therefore, our aim was to examine the role of ACE in tumor cell proliferation and migration. RESULTS: We found that upon binding to ACE, Ang-II internalizes with a faster onset compared to the binding of Ang-II to its classical AT1 receptor. We also found that the complex Ang-II/ACE translocates to the nucleus, through a clathrin-mediated process, triggering a transient nuclear Ca2+ signal. In silico studies revealed a possible interaction site between ACE and phospholipase C (PLC), and experimental results in CHO cells, demonstrated that the ß3 isoform of PLC is the one involved in the Ca2+ signals induced by Ang-II/ACE interaction. Further studies in melanoma cells (TM-5) showed that Ang-II induced cell proliferation through ACE activation, an event that could be inhibited either by ACE inhibitor (Lisinopril) or by the silencing of ACE. In addition, we found that stimulation of ACE by Ang-II caused the melanoma cells to migrate, at least in part due to decreased vinculin expression, a focal adhesion structural protein. CONCLUSION: ACE activation regulates melanoma cell proliferation and migration.

Clinical experience with the use of anti-CdtB and anti-vinculin antibodies in patients with diarrhea in Mexico. / Experiencia clínica con el uso de los anticuerpos anti-CdtB y anti-vinculina en pacientes con diarrea en México.

INTRODUCTION: Circulating anti-CdtB/anti-vinculin antibodies have been validated as biomarkers to distinguish IBS-D from IBD, but there is no experience with them in Latin America. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The analysis was carried out on patients seen at a FGIDs/motility clinic over the last 7 months for diarrhea with abdominal pain and/or bloating who were tested for these antibodies. The patients were diagnosed according to the Rome III criteria or with organic disorders, and those presenting with IBS were further classified as post-infectious (PI) or non-PI-IBS. RESULTS: Thirty patients were studied. Positive biomarkers were found in IBS-D and IBS-D Overlap (58.8%) and IBS-M (33.3%), with no differences between PI-IBS (71.4%) vs. non-PI-IBS (41.7%) subjects (P=.21). There was no positivity in patients with other FGIDs or organic diarrhea, except for one with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the use of this test as a first-line diagnostic tool to confirm the presence of IBS-D/IBS-M according to the Rome III criteria.

Association of membrane/lipid rafts with the platelet cytoskeleton and the caveolin PY14: participation in the adhesion process.

Platelets are the most prominent elements of blood tissue involved in hemostasis at sites of blood vessel injury. Platelet cytoskeleton is responsible for their shape modifications observed during activation and adhesion to the substratum; therefore the interactions between cytoskeleton and plasma membrane are critical to modulate blood platelet functions. Several cytoskeletal components and binding partners, as well as enzymes that regulate the cytoskeleton, localize to membrane/lipid rafts (MLR) and regulate lateral diffusion of membrane proteins and lipids. Resting, thrombin-activated, and adherent human platelets were processed for biochemical studies including western-blot and immunprecipitation assays and confocal analysis were performed to characterize the interaction of MLR with the main cytoskeleton elements and ß-dystroglycan as well as with the association of caveolin-1 PY14 with focal adhesion proteins. We transfected a megakaryoblast cell line (Meg-01) to deplete ß-dystroglycan, subsequent to their differentiation to the platelet progenitors. Our data showed a direct interaction of the MLR with cytoskeleton to regulate platelet shape, while an association of caveolin-1 PY14 with vinculin is needed to establish focal adhesions, which are modulated for ß-dystroglycan. In conclusion, caveolin-1 PY14 in association with platelet cytoskeleton participate in focal adhesions dynamics.

Disarray of glomerular and tubular cell adhesion molecules in the course of experimental Bothrops moojeni envenomation.

In this study, we show that administration of Bothrops moojeni venom in rats induces a general disturbance in the distribution and content of the tight junctional protein ZO-1, the cell-matrix receptor beta 1 integrin, the cytoskeletal proteins, vinculin and F-actin, and of the extracellular matrix component laminin in renal corpuscles and cortical nephron tubules. These findings suggest that cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesion proteins may be molecular targets in the B. moojeni-induced kidney injury.

Rab5 activation promotes focal adhesion disassembly, migration and invasiveness in tumor cells.

Migration and invasion are essential steps associated with tumor cell metastasis and increasing evidence points towards endosome trafficking being essential in this process. Indeed, the small GTPase Rab5, a crucial regulator of early endosome dynamics, promotes cell migration in vitro and in vivo. Precisely how Rab5 participates in these events remains to be determined. Considering that focal adhesions represent structures crucial to cell migration, we specifically asked whether Rab5 activation promoted focal adhesion disassembly and thereby facilitated migration and invasion of metastatic cancer cells. Pulldown and biosensor assays revealed that Rab5-GTP loading increased at the leading edge of migrating tumor cells. Additionally, targeting of Rab5 by different shRNA sequences, but not control shRNA, decreased Rab5-GTP levels, leading to reduced cell spreading, migration and invasiveness. Re-expression in knockdown cells of wild-type Rab5, but not the S34N mutant (GDP-bound), restored these properties. Importantly, Rab5 association with the focal adhesion proteins vinculin and paxillin increased during migration, and expression of wild-type, but not GDP-bound Rab5, accelerated focal adhesion disassembly, as well as FAK dephosphorylation on tyrosine 397. Finally, Rab5-driven invasiveness required focal adhesion disassembly, as treatment with the FAK inhibitor number 14 prevented Matrigel invasion and matrix metalloproteinase release. Taken together, these observations show that Rab5 activation is required to enhance cancer cell migration and invasion by promoting focal adhesion disassembly.

Polymorphisms in FGF12, VCL, CX43 and VAX1 in Brazilian patients with nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate.

BACKGROUND: Nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P) is the most common orofacial birth defect with a wide range prevalence among different populations. Previous association studies with populations from Europe and Asia have identified putative susceptibility markers for NSCL/P in fibroblast growth factor 12 (FGF12), vinculin (VCL), connexin 43 (CX43) and in a region close to the ventral anterior homeobox 1 (VAX1) gene. However, there have thus far been no studies of these markers in NSCL/P Brazilian patients, and as the genetic ancestry of the Brazilian population is highly varied, the predisposition to those disease markers can be different. METHODS: Herein we conducted a structured association study conditioned on the individual ancestry proportions to determine the role of 16 polymorphic markers within those genes in 300 patients with NSCL/P and 385 unaffected controls. RESULTS: None of the alleles and genotypes showed association with NSCL/P, though there was a significant association of the haplotype formed by VAX1 rs10787760, rs6585429 and rs1871345 polymorphisms with NSCL/P that did not persist Bonferroni correction for multiple tests. CONCLUSIONS: Our results are consistent with a lack of involvement of FGF12, VCL and CX43 variants with NSCL/P pathogenesis in Brazilian patients. Furthermore, the higher frequency of a haplotype of VAX1 with NSCL/P patients suggests a low penetrant gene for oral cleft, and warrants further studies.

Simvastatin disrupts cytoskeleton and decreases cardiac fibroblast adhesion, migration and viability.

Statins reduce the isoprenoids farnesyl and geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate, essential intermediates, which control a diversity of cellular events such as cytoskeleton integrity, adhesion, migration and viability. Cardiac fibroblasts are the major non-myocyte cell constituent in the normal heart, and play a key role in the maintenance of extracellular matrix. The effects of simvastatin on cardiac fibroblast processes previously mentioned remain unknown. Our aims were to investigate the effects of simvastatin on cytoskeleton structure and focal adhesion complex assembly and their relationships with cell adhesion, migration and viability in cultured cardiac fibroblasts. To this end, cells were treated with simvastatin for 24 h and changes in actin cytoskeleton, levels of vimentin and paxillin as well as their subcellular localization were analyzed by Western blot and immunocytochemistry, respectively. Cell adhesion to plastic or collagen coated dishes, migration in Transwell chambers, and cell viability were analyzed after simvastatin treatment. Our results show that simvastatin disrupts actin cytoskeleton and focal adhesion complex evaluated by phalloidin stain and immunocytochemistry for paxillin and vinculin. All these effects occurred by a cholesterol synthesis-independent mechanism. Simvastatin decreased cell adhesion, migration and viability in a concentration-dependent manner. Finally, simvastatin decreased angiotensin II-induced phospho-paxillin levels and cell adhesion. We concluded that simvastatin disrupts cytoskeleton integrity and focal adhesion complex assembly in cultured cardiac fibroblasts by a cholesterol-independent mechanism and consequently decreases cell migration, adhesion and viability.

Adhesion molecules affected by treatment of lung cancer cells with epidermal growth factor.

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world. Some tumor events are attributed to an important group of molecules (cadherins and integrins). We evaluated the interactions of cell adhesion molecules in cell lines from lung cancer. Two lung cancer cell lines were nonmetastatic (H358 and H441) and two were metastatic (H1299 and H292). All cell lines were treated with epidermal growth factor (EGF), and Western blot analysis was performed to assess the interactions between these proteins. The bronchoalveolar cells H358 showed the three analyzed proteins: E-cadherin, ß-catenin, and p120 catenin. The adenocarcinoma cells H441 did not present p120 catenin, and carcinoma cells did not show E-cadherin (H1299) or p120 catenin (H292). FAK (pTyr925) was dephosphorylated in adenocarcinoma cells H441, absent in carcinoma cells H1299, and upregulated in the other carcinoma cells H292. p130Cas showed no difference when the cell lines were treated with EGF for 30 min; it was absent in the metastatic carcinoma cells H1299. Paxillin was dephosphorylated in adenocarcinoma cells H441 and also absent in other metastatic carcinoma cells H292. Vinculin showed the same results, and talin was downregulated in adenocarcinoma cells H441 when the cells were treated with EGF. Rap1 was downregulated and PYK2 was upregulated in the same cell line. Our data help to comprehend the mechanism involved in cell migration to the blood and metastasis generation. In conclusion, the expression patterns of cell-cell adhesion were not affected by EGF treatment but it affected cell-extracellular matrix adhesion.