(P-BT-4) Age-Related Changes in CDH6 Expression and their Effects on Cell Adhesion and Tissue Integrity          

Background/Case Studies: Cadherin 6 (CDH6) is vital for cell adhesion and tissue integrity. This calcium-dependent transmembrane protein plays a key role in tissue morphogenesis, cell differentiation, and communication. In embryonic development, CDH6 guides cell migration and positioning, contributing to organ and tissue formation and influencing developmental pathways toward specialized functions. In cancer, CDH6’s function is complex: it can either inhibit or promote tumor progression, depending on the cancer type and context (Dalle Vedove et al., 2019; Ma et al., 2018). For instance, in oral squamous cell carcinoma, overexpression of CDH6, CDH11, and CD44 is linked to lymph node metastasis and poorer prognosis (Ma et al., 2018). The potential of targeting cadherin interactions in cancer treatment is met by advancements in molecularly imprinted polymer nanogels, which inhibit the HAV motif in cadherins, disrupting cell adhesion and migration (Medina Rangel et al., 2022). Additionally, the interplay between CDH17, desmocollin 1, and p120-catenin in colorectal cancer migration and invasion highlights cadherin-mediated adhesion in tumor spread (Bartolomé et al., 2024). CDH6’s role in maintaining tissue architecture and cancer biology underscores its significance in development and disease.

Study

Design/Methods:

We utilized dataset GSE39540, which includes early passage human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) from 61 donors aged 17 to 84. Using the Affymetrix Human Genome U133A 2.0 Array platform, we analyzed gene expression, focusing on the relationship between CDH6 expression and donor age. Linear regression analysis assessed this relationship, with statistical significance evaluated through correlation coefficients and p-values. ChatGPT 4o generated Python code for linear regression, descriptive statistics, and visualizations using pandas, scipy.stats, matplotlib, and seaborn. Human oversight and validation via RStudio ensured accuracy.


Results/Findings:

Our analysis found that CDH6 expression increases with age, shown by a slope of 0.0391 and intercept of 3.2971 in a linear regression model. The positive slope indicates a rise in expression across ages. Statistical significance was confirmed with a p-value of 0.002. Descriptive statistics: mean 5.456, standard deviation 1.730, range 2.049 to 8.218. Results suggest CDH6's potential role in cellular aging, warranting further investigation.


Conclusions:

Our study reveals the relationship between age and CDH6 expression and its significance in cellular and tissue dynamics. The increase in gene expression with age warrants further investigation to elucidate its implications and underlying mechanisms. These findings underscore CDH6's role in cellular aging processes and its potential as a target for therapeutic interventions against age-related diseases. This paves the way for future research into the mechanistic role of CDH6 in aging and disease progression.