Physical and functional cooperation of neural cell adhesion molecule and β1-integrin in neurite outgrowth induction

Neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) and β1-integrin are both involved in cell differentiation, with changes in the expression of these two molecules correlating with changes in the malignancy of tumor cells. There is a known functional correlation between NCAM and β1-integrin in adhesion and also neurite outgrowth in tumor cells. In the present study, we used immunostaining and immunoprecipitation studies to demonstrate that isoform 120 of NCAM associates physically as well as functionally with β1-integrin in the induction of neurite outgrowth in SH-SY5Y-human neuroblastoma cells. The interaction between these two molecules is mandatory for neurite outgrowth. NCAM blockage completely inhibits the effects of β1-integrin on neurite outgrowth. These findings further our understanding of the interactions between NCAMs and integrins in malignancy.