Immunolocalization of E-cadherin and αE-catenin in rat parotid acinar cell under chronic stimulation of isoproterenol

E-cadherin and αE-catenin were localized in normal and chronically isoproterenol-treated acinar cells of rat parotid gland by means of immunogold labelling of Lowicryl embedded sections. Immunostaining of both experimental groups with polyclonal antibodies to E-cadherin and αE-catenin was mainly restricted to the areas of adherens junctions. Surprisingly, in isoproterenol-treated cell αE-catenin was also found on the secretory granules periphery and appeared to encircle a secretory vesicle. In isoproterenol-induced cell hyperproliferation, the maintened presence of adherens junctions components, such as E-cadherin and αE-catenin molecules, should be an essential prerequisite for tissue integrity. Our data suggest the presence of a correlation between the organization of actin and the localization of αE-catenin in the chronically isoproterenol-treated acinar cell of rat parotid gland. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.