Tcadherin

T-cadherin, also known as cadherin-13 (CDH13) or H-cadherin, is a member of the cadherin superfamily of cell adhesion molecules. It is unusual among cadherins in being a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored protein rather than a transmembrane protein, which affects how it participates in adhesion and signaling at the cell surface.

CDH13 is encoded by the CDH13 gene on chromosome 16q24.3. The mature protein features an extracellular region with five cadherin repeats, a very short cytoplasmic tail, and a GPI anchor that attaches it to the outer face of the plasma membrane. The lack of a transmembrane domain means it interacts with the cell surface environment differently from classical cadherins, often associating with lipid rafts and modulating signaling pathways.

Expression is widespread, including heart, brain, adipose tissue, vascular endothelium, and placenta. In development, T-cadherin contributes to tissue organization and cell sorting, while in adult tissues it is implicated in vascular integrity and neuronal connectivity. Its GPI-anchored nature allows dynamic localization and interactions with other membrane proteins to influence adhesion and signaling.

Clinical and translational relevance involves regulation of CDH13 expression. Promoter hypermethylation and gene silencing are observed in several cancers, such as breast, colorectal, gastric, and lung cancers, and have been linked to prognosis in some studies. Genetic variants near CDH13 have been associated with body mass index and metabolic traits in genome-wide association studies, highlighting potential roles in obesity and cardiometabolic regulation.