The roles of nectins in cell adhesions: cooperation with other cell adhesion molecules and growth factor receptors

Nectins are Ca2+-independent Ig-like cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) which homophilically and heterophilically interact in trans with nectins and form cell–cell adhesion. This cell–cell adhesion is involved in the formation of many types of cell–cell junctions such as adherens junctions, tight junctions, and synaptic junctions, cooperatively with other CAMs such as cadherins and claudins. Nectins transduce signals cooperatively with integrin αvβ3, and regulate formation of cell–cell junctions. In addition, nectin interacts in cis with PDGF receptor and regulates its signaling for anti-apoptosis. Furthermore, nectin interacts in trans with nectin-like molecule-5 (Necl-5) and regulate cell movement and proliferation. We describe cooperative roles of nectins with other CAMs and growth factor receptors.