Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule Dynamics in Cancer Biology
Summary
Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule (EpCAM) is a transmembrane glycoprotein broadly expressed on epithelial tissues and overexpressed in a wide range of carcinomas. Beyond its classical role in homotypic cell–cell adhesion, EpCAM modulates intracellular signalling through regulated intramembrane proteolysis, yielding an extracellular fragment (EpEX) and an intracellular domain (EpICD) that can translocate to the nucleus. These fragments participate in the regulation of pathways governing cell proliferation, differentiation, survival and stemness. In cancer, dysregulated EpCAM dynamics contribute to intratumour heterogeneity, epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastatic dissemination. EpCAM interacts with molecules such as claudins, E-cadherin and β-catenin to influence tight junction integrity, Wnt and Ras/Raf signalling, and cytoskeletal organisation. Its presence on circulating tumour cells underlies its use as a diagnostic and prognostic marker. Recent advances have elucidated feedback loops in which EpICD activation enhances Wnt receptor expression, while extracellular interactions of EpEX with receptor tyrosine kinases amplify downstream cascades, fostering therapy resistance and tumour recurrence. Understanding the spatiotemporal regulation of EpCAM cleavage and its crosstalk with other adhesion and signalling proteins offers new avenues for targeted therapies and precision diagnostics in oncology.
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Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule Dynamics in Cancer Biology publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in epithelial cell adhesion molecule dynamics in cancer biology across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule (EpCAM): a transmembrane glycoprotein involved in cell–cell adhesion and intracellular signalling in epithelial tissues and carcinomas.
Wnt signalling pathway: a network of proteins that regulate gene transcription to control cell proliferation, differentiation and fate decisions.
Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition (EMT): a process by which epithelial cells lose polarity and adhesion, acquiring migratory and invasive mesenchymal traits.
Proteolytic cleavage: enzymatic cutting of a protein into functional fragments, often modulating its activity and interactions.
Tumour-initiating cells (TICs): a subpopulation of cancer cells with stem cell-like capacity for self-renewal and tumour generation, often linked to therapy resistance.
References
- Intracellular domain of epithelial cell adhesion molecule induces Wnt receptor transcription to promote colorectal cancer progression. Journal of Biomedical Science (2024).
- Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) regulates HGFR signaling to promote colon cancer progression and metastasis. Journal of Translational Medicine (2023).
- Characterization of EpCAM in thyroid cancer biology by three-dimensional spheroids in vitro model. Cancer Cell International (2024).
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