Discoidin domain receptor 1 deficiency in vascular smooth muscle cells leads to mislocalization of N-cadherin contacts

N-cadherin mediates cell-cell contacts in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), and regulates VSMC behaviours including migration and proliferation. Discoidin domain receptor 1 (DDR1) is a collagen binding receptor also implicated in these processes. Previous studies have shown that both N-cadherin and DDR1 are upregulated after vascular injury, but it is not known whether there is a relationship between the two molecules. In the current study we found that N-cadherin was mislocalised from cell-cell junctions in the absence of DDR1. This occurred in spite of the fact that there was no significant difference in total cell lysate levels of N-cadherin between DDR1+/+ and DDR1-/- VSMCs. Analysis of lipid raft fractions revealed decreased N-cadherin and associated junctional complex catenins in DDR1-/- compared to DDR1+/+ VSMCs. Treatment with cholesterol oxidase or methyl-β-cyclodextrin to disrupt lipid rafts removed N-cadherin and DDR1 from the raft fractions. Reciprocal co-immunoprecipitations suggested the association of DDR1 and N-cadherin. Importantly, transfection of DDR1-/- cells with full-length DDR1b rescued the formation of N-cadherin junctions. Together, these data reveal that N-cadherin cell-cell contacts in VSMCs are regulated through interactions with DDR1 and both molecules are located in lipid rafts.