Phenotypic plasticity underlies local invasion and distant metastasis in colon cancer.

ABSTRACT: Phenotypic plasticity represents the most relevant hallmark of the carcinoma cell as it bestows it with the capacity of transiently altering its morphological and functional features while en route to the metastatic site. However, the study of phenotypic plasticity is hindered by the rarity of these events within primary lesions and by the lack of experimental models. Here, we identified a subpopulation of phenotypic plastic colon cancer cells: EpCAM^lo cells are motile, invasive, chemo-resistant, and highly metastatic. EpCAM^lo bulk and single-cell RNAseq analysis indicated (1) enhanced Wnt/β-catenin signaling, (2) a broad spectrum of degrees of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) activation including hybrid E/M states (partial EMT) with highly plastic fe

SUBMITTER: Sacchetti A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8192123 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature