CDH3

Cadherin-3 (CDH3), also known as P-cadherin, is a calcium-dependent transmembrane glycoprotein belonging to the classical cadherin family. It mediates homophilic cell-cell adhesion through its extracellular cadherin repeats and interacts intracellularly with β-catenin/p120-catenin to regulate cytoskeletal organization. CDH3 is predominantly expressed in epithelial tissues, particularly during embryonic development, where it governs cell polarity, stratification, and boundary formation. Aberrant CDH3 expression is implicated in tumor progression, notably in triple-negative breast cancer, gastric cancer, and melanoma, where its overexpression enhances invasiveness and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) via Wnt/β-catenin and PI3K/AKT pathways. Germline CDH3 mutations cause hypotrichosis with juvenile macular dystrophy and congenital alopecia. Therapeutic strategies targeting CDH3 include monoclonal antibodies (e.g., PF-06671008) in preclinical studies and cadherin-specific CAR-T cells under investigation for solid tumors. Its dual role in tissue homeostasis and oncogenesis makes CDH3 a biomarker of interest in both developmental disorders and cancer metastasis.