Research article2016Peer reviewedOpen access
Knock-down of ZBED6 in insulin-producing cells promotes N-cadherin junctions between beta-cells and neural crest stem cells in vitro
Wang, Xuan; Xie, Beichen; Qi, Yu; Wallerman, Ola; Vasylovska, Svitlana; Andersson, Leif; Kozlova, Elena Nickolaevna; Welsh, Nils
Abstract
The role of the novel transcription factor ZBED6 for the adhesion/clustering of insulin-producing mouse MIN6 and βTC6 cells was investigated. Zbed6-silencing in the insulin producing cells resulted in increased three-dimensional cell-cell clustering and decreased adhesion to mouse laminin and human laminin 511. This was paralleled by a weaker focal adhesion kinase phosphorylation at laminin binding sites. Zbed6-silenced cells expressed less E-cadherin and more N-cadherin at cell-to-cell junctions. A strong ZBED6-binding site close to the N-cadherin gene transcription start site was observed. Threedimensional clustering in Zbed6-silenced cells was prevented by an N-cadherin neutralizing antibody and by N-cadherin knockdown. Co-culture of neural crest stem cells (NCSCs) with Zbed6-silenced cells, but not with control cells, stimulated the outgrowth of NCSC processes. The cell-to-cell junctions between NCSCs and βTC6 cells stained more intensely for N-cadherin when Zbed6-silenced cells were co-cultured with NCSCs. We conclude that ZBED6 decreases the ratio between N- and E-cadherin. A lower N- to E-cadherin ratio may hamper the formation of three-dimensional beta-cell clusters and cell-to-cell junctions with NCSC, and instead promote efficient attachment to a laminin support and monolayer growth. Thus, by controlling beta-cell adhesion and cell-to-cell junctions, ZBED6 might play an important role in beta-cell differentiation, proliferation and survival.
Published in
Scientific Reports
2016, Volume: 6, article number: 19006
UKÄ Subject classification
Genetics and Breeding
Publication identifier
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/srep19006
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/79947