Nectin-1/CD111

Nectin-1 (CD111, PVRL1) is a calcium-independent cell adhesion molecule of the nectin family, characterized by three extracellular Ig-like domains (one V-set and two C1-set), a single transmembrane segment and a cytoplasmic tail linked to the actin cytoskeleton through afadin. Nectin-1 forms cis-homodimers and trans-homophilic interactions with nectin-1 on adjacent cells, and trans-heterophilic interactions with nectin-3 and nectin-4, establishing adherence junctions in epithelia, endothelia and neuronal synapses and coordinating cadherin-based junction formation. In the nervous system, nectin-1 is critical for synapse formation, hippocampal plasticity and memory, and optic nerve development; mutations in PVRL1 cause cleft lip/palate-ectodermal dysplasia syndrome (CLPED1, Margarita Island ectodermal dysplasia). Nectin-1 serves as the entry receptor for herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2 (glycoprotein D binding) and pseudorabies virus, and acts as an immune ligand: engagement of CD96 and TIGIT by nectin-1 contributes to NK and T-cell inhibitory signaling, linking this adhesion molecule to tumor immune evasion.