Role of Nectin-4 protein in cancer (Review)

The Nectin cell adhesion molecule (Nectin) family members are Ca2+-independent immunoglobulin-like cellular adhesion molecules (including Nectins 1-4), involved in cell adhesion via homophilic/heterophilic interplay. In addition, the Nectin family plays a significant role in enhancing cellular viability and movement ability. In contrast to enrichment of Nectins 1-3 in normal tissues, Nectin-4 is particularly overexpressed in a number of tumor types, including breast, lung, urothelial, colorectal, pancreatic and ovarian cancer. Moreover, the upregulation of Nectin-4 is an independent biomarker for overall survival in numerous cancer types. A large number of studies have revealed that high expression of Nectin-4 is closely related to tumor occurrence and development in various cancer types, but the manner in which Nectin-4 protein contributes to the onset and development of these malignancies is yet unknown. The present review summarizes the molecular mechanisms and functions of Nectin-4 protein in the biological processes and current advances with regard to its expression and regulation in various cancer types.