MUC1 upregulation promotes immune resistance in tumor cells undergoing brachyury-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

ABSTRACT: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a molecular and cellular program in which epithelial cells lose their well-differentiated phenotype and adopt mesenchymal characteristics. This process, which occurs naturally during embryogenesis, has also been shown to be associated with cancer progression and with tumor recurrence following conventional therapies. Brachyury is a transcription factor that mediates EMT during development, and is aberrantly expressed in various human cancers where it promotes tumor cell EMT, metastatic dissemination, and resistance to conventional therapies. We have recently shown that very high expression of brachyury can protect tumor cells against immune cell-mediated cytotoxicity. In seeking to elucidate mechanisms of immunotherapy resistance, we have discover

SUBMITTER: David JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4839328 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature