The role of JAM-B in cancer and cancer metastasis (Review)

The junctional adhesion molecule B (JAM-B) is a multifunctional transmembrane protein, which belongs to the immunoglobulin superfamily (IgSF). JAM-B is localized to cell-cell contacts and enriched at cell junctions in epithelial and endothelial cells, as well as on the surface of erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets. Recent research in this field has shown that JAM-B plays an important role in numerous cellular processes, such as tight junction assembly, spermatogenesis, regulation of paracellular permeability, leukocytic transmigration, angiogenesis, tumor metastasis and cell proliferation. This study provides a new research direction for the diagnosis and treatment of relevant diseases. In this review, we briefly focus on what is currently known about the structure, function, and mechanism of JAM-B, with particular emphasis on cancer.