Differential displacement of classical cadherins by VE-cadherin

VE-cadherin is an endothelial cell-specific, type II classical cadherin that plays an important role in permeability, vasculogenesis, and vascular remodeling. Endothelial cells express equal levels of VE-and N-cadherin; VE-cadherin is present in junctions while N-cadherin is diffusely expressed over the surface of the cell. The present study was designed first to determine if the ability of VE-cadherin to displace N-cadherin from junctions was endothelial-cell specific, and second to determine if VE-cadherin could displace other classical cadherins from cell junctions. Our data suggest that VE-cadherin specifically influences the cellular localization of N-cadherin, independent of cell type, and does not effect the localization of other classical cadherins.