Stemness of the hybrid Epithelial/Mesenchymal State in Breast Cancer and Its Association with Poor Survival.

ABSTRACT: Breast cancer stem cells (CSCs) are thought to drive recurrence and metastasis. Their identity has been linked to the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) but remains highly controversial since--depending on the cell-line studied--either epithelial (E) or mesenchymal (M) markers, alone or together have been associated with stemness. Using distinct transcript expression signatures characterizing the three different E, M and hybrid E/M cell-types, our data support a novel model that links a mixed EM signature with stemness in 1) individual cells, 2) luminal and basal cell lines, 3) in vivo xenograft mouse models, and 4) in all breast cancer subtypes. In particular, we found that co-expression of E and M signatures was associated with poorest outcome in luminal and basal breast cancer p

SUBMITTER: Grosse-Wilde A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4447403 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature