Neural cell adhesion molecule 1

Neural cell adhesion molecule 1 (NCAM1) is a cell adhesion molecule mediating neuron-neuron adhesion, neurite fasciculation, and neurite outgrowth (UniProt: P13591). The protein also serves as a receptor for rabies and Zika viruses. NCAM1 is expressed across neural tissues where it plays a critical role in synaptic connectivity and neuronal development.

NCAM1 has been associated with Alzheimer's disease in this proteomics dataset. Analysis of post-mortem AD brain tissue versus age-matched controls using TMT-labeled, data-dependent acquisition mass spectrometry across four subcellular fractions (P2, P3, S2, S3) revealed that NCAM1 is significantly downregulated in AD brain (Chaparral AD proteomics). The mean log2 fold-change was −0.45, indicating a consistent reduction across the examined fractions.

The downregulation of NCAM1 in AD brain is consistent with synaptic loss and neuronal dysfunction observed in the disease, suggesting potential disruption of cell-cell adhesion processes critical for maintaining neuronal networks.