Cadherin-16 (CDH16)

Cadherin-16 is a kidney and thyroid-expressed, calcium-dependent cell adhesion molecule in the cadherin superfamily, encoded by the CDH16 gene on chromosome 16q22.1[1][3]. It is structurally distinct from classical cadherins, lacking the prosequence and HAV adhesion motif, and is organized as a single-pass transmembrane protein with six extracellular cadherin domains and a truncated cytoplasmic tail[1][3][5]. Its expression is highly restricted to epithelial cells of the distal nephron (distal tubules and collecting ducts) and, to a much lesser extent, the thyroid gland[4][5]. Cadherin-16 mediates homophilic cell-cell adhesion and plays a vital role in tissue morphogenesis, cellular recognition, and the stabilization of differentiated epithelial phenotype especially in the kidney[1][2][4]. Loss of cadherin-16 is observed in several renal and thyroid cancers, implicating it as a potential tumor suppressor and a diagnostic marker for tissue origin but it is not presently a therapeutic target[4][5].

Other names

Cadherin-16CDH16Ksp-cadherinKidney-specific cadherinKSP-cadherinUNQ695/PRO1340

None (No therapy is known to act via direct modulation of cadherin-16. Any secondary role—such as potential effects downstream of cell adhesion or tissue integrity—remains unexploited pharmacologically[3][5].)