Regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in breast cancer cells by cell contact and adhesion.

ABSTRACT: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a physiological program that is activated during cancer cell invasion and metastasis. We show here that EMT-related processes are linked to a broad and conserved program of transcriptional alterations that are influenced by cell contact and adhesion. Using cultured human breast cancer and mouse mammary epithelial cells, we find that reduced cell density, conditions under which cell contact is reduced, leads to reduced expression of genes associated with mammary epithelial cell differentiation and increased expression of genes associated with breast cancer. We further find that treatment of cells with matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3), an inducer of EMT, interrupts a defined subset of cell contact-regulated genes, including genes encoding a variet

SUBMITTER: Cichon MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4325704 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature