Background：Neural cell adhesion molecule 1(NCAM1, also known as CD56) is a cell adhesion glycoprotein of the immunoglobulin(Ig) superfamily. It is a multifunction protein involved in synaptic plasticity, neurodevelopment, and neurogenesis. NCAM1 is expressed on human neurones, glial cells, skeletal muscle cells, NK cells and a subset of T cells, and the expression is observed in a wide variety human tumors, including myeloma, myeloid leukemia, neuroendocrine tumors, Wilms' tumor, neuroblastoma, and NK/T cell lymphomas. Three major isoforms of NCAM1, with molecular masses of 120, 140, and 180 kDa, are generated by alternative splicing of mRNA(PMID: 9696812). The glycosylphosphatidylinositol(GPI)-anchored NCAM120 and the transmembrane NCAM140 and NCAM180 consist of five Ig-like domains and two fibronection-type III repeats(FNIII). All three forms can be posttranslationally modified by addition of polysialic acid(PSA)(PMID: 14976519). Several other isofroms have also been described(PMID: 1856291).
