Targeting estrogen-related receptor alpha inhibits epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and stem cell properties of ovarian cancer cells.

ABSTRACT: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition represents a key event in cancer progression and has emerged as a promising anticancer target. Estrogen-related receptor alpha (ERRα) is frequently elevated in advanced-stage ovarian cancer, but its potential role in tumor progression is not known. Here we show that ERRα functions in epithelial-mesenchymal transition and in subsequent stem cell traits responsible for the acquisition of high degree of aggressiveness and potential for metastasis that are characteristic of ovarian cancer. Importantly, targeted inhibition of ERRα also inhibited the expression of Snail, a repressor of E-cadherin and an inducer of epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Interestingly, induction of Snail resulted from not only changes in mRNA transcription rate but also mRNA stability

SUBMITTER: Lam SS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3982489 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature