Autophagy regulates hepatocyte identity and epithelial-to-mesenchymal and mesenchymal-to-epithelial transitions promoting Snail degradation.

ABSTRACT: Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the reverse process mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET) are events involved in development, wound healing and stem cell behaviour and contribute pathologically to cancer progression. The identification of the molecular mechanisms underlying these phenotypic conversions in hepatocytes are fundamental to design specific therapeutic strategies aimed at optimising liver repair. The role of autophagy in EMT/MET processes of hepatocytes was investigated in liver-specific autophagy-deficient mice (Alb-Cre;ATG7(fl/fl)) and using the nontumorigenic immortalised hepatocytes cell line MMH. Autophagy deficiency in vivo reduces epithelial markers' expression and increases the levels of mesenchymal markers. These alterations are associated with an in

SUBMITTER: Grassi G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4650445 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature