CD146, a multi-functional molecule beyond adhesion

Targeting CD146 with a 64 Cu-labeled antibody enables in vivo immunoPET imaging of high-grade gliomas

“…The value of CD146 in the treatment of malignant melanomas and breast cancer has been previously suggested, and its efficacy as a therapeutic target has been evaluated with encouraging results (7,17,18). Therefore, this study was performed to establish and validate CD146 for noninvasive PET imaging of aggressive gliomas.…”

“…Nanog, Oct4, and Sox2, which constitute the core proteins of a transcription complex that maintains self-renewal and stemness in human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) (13), were expressed at higher levels in U87MG(++) cells. U87MG(++) cells also showed higher concentrations of LGR5, a protein regarded as a pluripotency marker in stem cells (7). Moreover, a U87MG(++) subpopulation presented distinctive EMT molecular signatures (14), such as low E-cadherin expression levels in conjunction with increased expression of its negative regulator, β-Catenin.…”

“…recently, induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), has also been documented (7,8). Despite the copious body of data describing the expression of CD146 in a myriad of cancers, noninvasive in vivo molecular imaging of CD146 expression has remained unexplored.…”

Different angiogenic potentials of mesenchymal stem cells derived from umbilical artery, umbilical vein and wharton’s jelly

“…In an experimental approach combining stringent cell purification by flow cytometry and differentiation in culture and in vivo, human CD146 + perivascular cells represent the ubiquitous ancestors of MSCs [29]. Additionally, CD146 has been reported to play a crucial role in the vascular development [30]. A previous study found that knockdown of CD146 protein expression severely hindered vascular development, leading to poorly developed intersomitic vessels, with lack of blood flow through the intersomitic vessel region [31].…”

Mechanical Isolation of Human Endothelial Cells from Large Vessels for Flow Cytometry Immunophenotyping

“…The Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 (PECAM-1, or EndoCAM, CD31) is a 130-140 KD type I transmembrane glycoprotein that acts as an adhesion molecule involved in homotypic or heterotypic cell-to-cell interactions and trans-endothelial migration of leukocytes; it is expressed in EC, granulocytes, monocytes, lymphocyte subsets and platelets [28,29]. Melanoma Cell Adhesion Molecule (MCAM or Mel-CAM, CD146), is also a cell adhesion molecule that is primarily expressed at the intercellular junctions of the EC, vascular pericytes and smooth muscle cells, although being also present on activated memory T-cells, as well as on a small fraction of B-and NK-cells; recent evidence indicates that CD146 is involved in various biological processes, including mesenchymal stem cell differentiation, signaling transduction, cell migration, angiogenesis and immune response, and acts as a co-receptor for Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor type 2 (VEGFR-2, CD309) [30][31][32][33].…”