ALCAM (CD166): A Multifunctional Cell Adhesion Molecule in Cancer and Immunity
Explore the genomic, expression, and clinical significance of the ALCAM gene, a key player in tumor progression and immune regulation.
Gene Information Card
| Symbol | ALCAM |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule |
| Gene Type | Protein coding |
| Chromosomal Location | 3q13.1 |
| NCBI Gene ID | 214 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/214 |
| Ensembl ID | ENSG00000170017 |
| UniProt ID | Q13740 |
| OMIM ID | 601662 |
| HGNC ID | 400 |
| Aliases | CD166, MEMD, SB-10, KG-CAM |
Description
ALCAM (Activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule), also known as CD166, is a type I transmembrane glycoprotein belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily. It mediates homophilic and heterophilic cell-cell adhesion, playing roles in immune response, neuronal development, and tumor progression. ALCAM is involved in cell migration, proliferation, and signal transduction, and its expression is frequently dysregulated in various cancers.
Disease Associations
| Disease category | Pathophysiological mechanism | Genomic evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Cancer (multiple types) | Overexpression promotes tumor invasion and metastasis via increased cell motility and adhesion | High expression correlates with poor prognosis in breast, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers (PubMed: 21852296, 20406950) |
| Inflammatory diseases | Mediates leukocyte extravasation and activation | Upregulated in inflamed tissues; involved in autoimmune conditions (PubMed: 10623503) |
| Neural tube defects | ALCAM mutations may affect neural development | Rare variants reported in patients with spina bifida (ClinVar) |
Expression Profile
Tissue Expression
| Tissue | nTPM | level |
|---|---|---|
| Brain | 12.3 | Medium |
| Lung | 8.7 | Low |
| Liver | 5.2 | Low |
| Kidney | 9.1 | Low |
| Colon | 15.6 | Medium |
| Breast | 10.4 | Medium |
| Skin | 7.8 | Low |
| Spleen | 20.5 | High |
Cell Line Expression
| Cell Line | nTPM | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| MCF7 (breast cancer) | 18.2 | High expression; associated with invasive phenotype |
| A549 (lung cancer) | 12.5 | Moderate expression; promotes migration |
| HCT116 (colorectal cancer) | 22.1 | High expression; linked to metastasis |
| Jurkat (T-cell leukemia) | 25.3 | High expression; involved in immune activation |
Data source：Human Protein Atlas（proteinatlas.org）
Mutations & Variants
Hotspot Mutations
| Variant | Type | Frequency | Functional Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| c.1250G>A (p.Arg417His) | Missense | 0.01% (gnomAD) | Potential impact on adhesion; reported in cancer |
| c.1660C>T (p.Arg554Ter) | Nonsense | Rare | Loss of function; may reduce protein expression |
| c.789_790insA (p.Val264SerfsTer29) | Frameshift | Rare | Truncated protein; likely loss of function |
Mutation functional classification
Loss of Function (LOF)
Nonsense and frameshift mutations leading to truncated protein or reduced expression, impairing cell adhesion and signaling.
Gain of Function (GOF)
Missense mutations that enhance homophilic adhesion or promote oncogenic signaling, potentially increasing metastatic potential.
Dominant Negative (DN)
Certain missense mutations may interfere with wild-type ALCAM function by forming non-functional heterodimers, reducing overall adhesion.
View complete mutation data：
Gene Ontology (GO)
| • cell adhesion | • protein homodimerization activity |
| • cell-cell signaling | • integrin binding |
| • plasma membrane | • extracellular exosome |
| • positive regulation of cell migration | • immune response |
Pathways
• Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs)
• Leukocyte transendothelial migration
• Signaling by Rho GTPases
• Axon guidance
Protein Summary
ALCAM is a 65-70 kDa transmembrane glycoprotein with an extracellular region containing five immunoglobulin-like domains (two V-type and three C2-type). It undergoes glycosylation and can be cleaved by metalloproteases to release a soluble form (sALCAM). The protein mediates homophilic (ALCAM-ALCAM) and heterophilic (ALCAM-CD6) interactions, influencing cell adhesion, migration, and signal transduction. Its cytoplasmic tail interacts with cytoskeletal proteins, modulating cell shape and motility. ALCAM is widely expressed in various tissues and is often upregulated in aggressive tumors, making it a potential therapeutic target.
Related Services
Related Products
| Product name | Cat.No. | Species | Gene ID | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALCAM Knockout HEK293 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ17754 | Human | 214 | Details Get a Quote |
| ALCAM Knockout A-549 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ19823 | Human | 214 | Details Get a Quote |
| ALCAM Knockout HCT 116 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ19824 | Human | 214 | Details Get a Quote |
| ALCAM Knockout HeLa Cell Line | EDJ-KQ19825 | Human | 214 | Details Get a Quote |
| ALCAM-FLUC Overexpression Hep-G2 Stable Cell Line | EDC90123 | Human | 214 | Details Get a Quote |
| ALCAM（p.N361A） Overexpression Hep-G2 Stable Cell Line | EDC90115 | Human | 214 | Details Get a Quote |
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