Oksana GORSHKOVA - Early-Stage Researcher - 2016 Class

Cell junctions play a key role in the integrity of biological tissues, via Cell Adhesion Molecules (CAMs). In particular, in the bone marrow, interactions between hematopoietic and stromal cells allow the mutual transmission of signals involved in the development and homeostasis of both cell types. This crosstalk also involves adhesion mechanisms, with a major impact on the physiology of  hematopoietic and stromal cells (development, maintenance, proliferation). Partner I (A. Sergé & M. Aurrand-Lions, Leuko/Stromal Interactions team, CRCM) is specialized in these interactions, especially for integrins and Junctional Adhesion Molecules (JAMs, De Grandis et al. Cell Mol Life Sci 2015). In physiological context, the team reported contacts between JAM-C-expressing hematopoietic stem cells and JAM-B-expressing stromal cells (Arcangeli et al. Blood 2011). These interactions are deeply revised in tumor context. Preliminary data show that JAM-C-mediated adhesion of leukemic stem cell (LSC) to the stroma is involved in Cell-Adhesion-Mediated Drug Resistance (CAM-DR), suggesting that JAM-C constitutes a potential therapeutic target in leukemia.