Epithelial-mesenchymal transition: The history, regulatory mechanism, and cancer therapeutic opportunities.

ABSTRACT: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a program wherein epithelial cells lose their junctions and polarity while acquiring mesenchymal properties and invasive ability. Originally defined as an embryogenesis event, EMT has been recognized as a crucial process in tumor progression. During EMT, cell-cell junctions and cell-matrix attachments are disrupted, and the cytoskeleton is remodeled to enhance mobility of cells. This transition of phenotype is largely driven by a group of key transcription factors, typically Snail, Twist, and ZEB, through epigenetic repression of epithelial markers, transcriptional activation of matrix metalloproteinases, and reorganization of cytoskeleton. Mechanistically, EMT is orchestrated by multiple pathways, especially those involved in embryogenesis such a

SUBMITTER: Huang Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9115588 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature