Increased Src activity disrupts cadherin/catenin-mediated homotypic adhesion in human colon cancer and transformed rodent cells

Src has been implicated in the development and progression of human colon cancer. Because the capacity for tumor cells to dissociate from the primary tumor is a critical step in the development of metastases, the effect of a naturally occurring, activated Src-531 on intercellular adhesion was examined. Homotypic adhesion was assessed using dissociation assays on Src-transformed rat fibroblasts and human colon cancer cell lines. The data indicate that both rodent and human cells expressing the mutant Src protein display up to 7-fold less homotypic adhesion than do wild-type cells (P < 0.01). Experiments demonstrated that cadherin was phosphorylated in cells transfected with activated Src and that cadherin/catenin complexes were disrupted as a result. Experiments using dominant negative (DN) Src or an Src-specific inhibitor (PD 180970), demonstrated that adhesion was restored when Src activity was inhibited in Src-531 transfectants, confirming that Src is a causal factor in the decreased homotypic adhesion observed. In addition, DN Ras, DN focal adhesion kinase (FAK), but not Stat3β, restored intercellular adhesion, which suggested that Ras and FAK may be downstream effectors of Src-mediated homotypic adhesion. Collectively, these data support a role for Src, Ras, and FAK in the regulation of intercellular adhesion, which may in turn regulate metastatic potential of human colon cancer cells.