DSC2 is a calcium-dependent glycoprotein that is a member of the desmocollin subfamily of the cadherin superfamily. Like other desmocollins, murine DSC2 has two products, Dsc2a and Dsc2b, produced by alternative splicing of a 46 bp exon which encodes 11 COOH-terminal aa followed by an in-frame stop codon. These desmosomal family members, along with the desmogleins, are found primarily in epithelial cells where they constitute the adhesive proteins of the desmosome cell-cell junction and are required for cell adhesion and desmosome formation. The desmosomal family members are arranged in two clusters on chromosome 18, occupying less than 650 kb combined. Mutations in DSC2 are associated with arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia-11. DSC2 is Involved in the interaction of plaque proteins and intermediate filaments mediating cell-cell adhesion. DSC2 may contribute to epidermal cell positioning by mediating differential adhesiveness between cells that express different isoforms.
