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Updated: May 1, 2026

Induction and Analysis of Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition
Published on: August 27, 2013
PKM2 regulates hepatocellular carcinoma cell epithelial-mesenchymal transition and migration upon EGFR activation
Fang-Tian Fan1, Cun-Si Shen, Li Tao
1Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China;
Abstract:
Pyruvate kinase isozyme type M2(PKM2) was first found in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC), and its expression has been thought to correlate with prognosis. A large number of studies have demonstrated that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a crucial event in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and associated metastasis, resulting in enhanced malignancy of HCC. However, the roles of PKM2 in HCC EMT and metastasis remain largely unknown. The present study aimed to determine the effects of PKM2 in EGF-induced HCC EMT and elucidate the molecular mechanisms in vitro. Our results showed that EGF promoted EMT in HCC cell lines as evidenced by altered morphology, expression of EMT-associated markers, and enhanced invasion capacity. Furthermore, the present study also revealed that nuclear translocation of PKM2, which is regulated by ERK pathway, regulated β-catenin-TCF/LEF-1 transcriptional activity and associated EMT in HCC cell lines. These discoveries provide evidence of novel roles of PKM2 in the progression of HCC and potential therapeutic target for advanced cases.
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