JNK Pathway Mediates Low Oxygen Level Induced Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Stemness Maintenance in Colorectal Cancer Cells.

ABSTRACT: (1) Background: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer cell stemness maintenance (SM) are important factors for cancer metastasis. Although hypoxia has been considered as a possible factor for EMT induction and promotion of SM, studies in this area, apart from hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) pathways and severe hypoxia, are scant. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different oxygen levels on EMT induction and SM and elucidate the signaling pathways involved in colorectal cancer cells. (2) Methods: Cell morphological analysis, migration assay, immunofluorescence staining of cytoskeleton and Western blotting were performed on human colorectal cancer cells HT-29, DLD-1, and SW-480 cultured at 1%, 10%, and normal (21%) O2 levels. The role played by c-Jun N-terminal kinase (

SUBMITTER: Tam SY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7017419 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature