alpha3beta1 integrin-CD151, a component of the cadherin-catenin complex, regulates PTPmu expression and cell-cell adhesion

The beta1 family of integrins has been primarily studied as a set of receptors for the extracellular matrix. In this paper, we define a novel role for alpha3beta1 integrin in association with the tetraspanin CD151 as a component of a cell-cell adhesion complex in epithelial cells that directly stimulates cadherin-mediated adhesion. The integrin-tetraspanin complex affects epithelial cell-cell adhesion at the level of gene expression both by regulating expression of PTPmu and by organizing a multimolecular complex containing PKCbetaII, RACK1, PTPmu, beta-catenin, and E-cadherin. These findings demonstrate how integrin-based signaling can regulate complex biological responses at multiple levels to determine cell morphology and behavior.