Image from: Weizmann Institute of Science., 2020. Crystal structure of human P-Cadherin EC1-EC2 in closed conformation. Israel: Weizmann Institute of Science.

Image from: Weizmann Institute of Science., 2020. Crystal structure of human P-Cadherin EC1-EC2 in closed conformation. Israel: Weizmann Institute of Science.

P-cadherin is a cell-cell adhesion molecule that plays a role in cancer development (Vieira A.F. and Paredes, 2015). It produces stable cell junctions by working with βctn and p120ctn molecules (Vieira A.F. and Paredes, 2015). This process allows interaction with the actin fibres in the cytoskeleton of the cell (Vieira A.F. and Paredes, 2015). This signalling pathway can cause malignant tumour growth as P-cadherin is very oncogenic (Vieira A.F. and Paredes, 2015). The interaction with p120ctn molecule allows cells to metastasise allowing for a rapid spread of cancerous cells in pancreatic breast cancer (Vieira A.F. and Paredes, 2015).

References: VIEIRA, A.F. & PAREDES, J., 2015. P-cadherin and the journey to cancer metastasis. Molecular Cancer.14(1), pp.178. Available from: 10.1186/s12943-015-0448-4.