Cell surface N-glycans influence the level of functional E-cadherin at the cell-cell border

E-cadherin is crucial for adhesion of cells to each other and thereby development and maintenance of tissue. While it is has been established that N-glycans inside the cell impact the level of E-cadherin at the cell surface of epithelial-derived cells, it is unclear whether N-glycans outside the cell control the clustering of E-cadherin at the cell-cell border. Here, we demonstrate reduction of N-glycans at the cell surface weakened the recruitment and retention of E-cadherin at the cell-cell border, and consequently reduced the strength of cell-cell interactions. We conclude that N-glycans at the cell surface are tightly linked to the placement of E-cadherin at the cell-cell border and thereby control E-cadherin mediated cell-cell adhesion. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies.