Pcdh7, or Protocadherin-7, is an integral membrane protein. It is involved in regulating intercellular adhesion and the actomyosin system, and is associated with multiple biological processes and disease conditions [1]. It may also play roles in fatty acid synthesis and metabolism-related pathways, and is potentially linked to the development of various cancers, kidney diseases, and neurological and musculoskeletal disorders [3-9]. Genetic models, such as knockout (KO) and conditional knockout (CKO) mouse models, can be valuable for studying its functions.

In cancer research, knockdown of Pcdh7 in colon cancer cells increased their sensitivity to chemotherapy, as it induced ferroptosis and autophagy changes by restraining the MEK1/2/ERK/c-Fos axis [2]. In liver research, HSC-specific knockout of Pcdh7 in mice abrogated hepatic stellate cell (HSC)-mediated sinusoidal contraction in response to endothelin-1, leading to cytoskeletal remodeling and sinusoidal relaxation [3].

In conclusion, Pcdh7 plays crucial roles in multiple biological processes, especially in cell-cell adhesion, cancer development, and tissue-specific functions like sinusoidal contraction in the liver. The use of KO/CKO mouse models has provided valuable insights into Pcdh7's functions in cancer and liver-related disease areas.

References:

1. Wang, Chenxi, Chen, Ang, Ruan, Banzhan, Wang, Xiaoning, Sun, Qiang. 2020. PCDH7 Inhibits the Formation of Homotypic Cell-in-Cell Structure. In Frontiers in cell and developmental biology, 8, 329. doi:10.3389/fcell.2020.00329. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32457908/

2. Liu, Zhendong, Xu, Yuyang, Liu, Xin, Wang, Baochun. 2022. PCDH7 knockdown potentiates colon cancer cells to chemotherapy via inducing ferroptosis and changes in autophagy through restraining MEK1/2/ERK/c-Fos axis. In Biochemistry and cell biology = Biochimie et biologie cellulaire, 100, 445-457. doi:10.1139/bcb-2021-0513. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35926236/

3. Carter, James K, Tsai, Ming-Chao, Venturini, Nicholas, Lee, Youngmin A, Friedman, Scott L. 2024. Stellate cell-specific adhesion molecule protocadherin 7 regulates sinusoidal contraction. In Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.), 80, 566-577. doi:10.1097/HEP.0000000000000782. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38373106/