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Updated: Feb 6, 2026

Induction and Analysis of Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition
Published on: August 27, 2013
Bone morphogenetic protein-7 prevented epithelial-mesenchymal transition in RLE-6TN cells
Yan Wang1,2, Di Liang1,2, Zhonghui Zhu1,2
1School of Public Health , Capital Medical University , Beijing 100069 , China . Email: tian_lin@163.com ; ; Tel: +86 10 83911506.
Abstract:
Bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7) plays an important role in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process, and has been identified as the most potent factor that can promote mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) and reduce organ fibrosis. Here we examined the important role of BMP-7 in silica-induced EMT and investigated the relationship between BMP-7 and the balance of EMT/MET. We found that silica induced EMT and decreased the expression of BMP-7 in vivo and in vitro, while silica activated the p38 MAPK/transcription factor signaling pathway in RLE-6TN cells. Lentivirus mediated transfection was used to stably upregulate the expression of BMP-7. Exogenous BMP-7 brought on MET exceeded silica-induced EMT and restrained the p38 MAPK/transcription factor signaling pathway in RLE-6TN cells. Our results revealed that BMP-7 promoted MET above EMT induced by silica associated with inhibition of the p38 MAPK/transcription factor signaling pathway, and BMP-7 was a potential target for treatment of silicosis fibrosis.
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