Related Experiment Video For Adrenocortical carcinoma
Updated: Jan 31, 2026

Induction and Analysis of Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition
Published on: August 27, 2013
Twist1 Correlates With Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Markers Fibronectin and Vimentin in Adrenocortical Tumors
Daniel Bulzico1,2, Bruno Ricardo Barreto Pires3, Paulo Antônio Silvestre DE Faria4
1Endocrine Oncology Unit, Brazilian National Cancer Institute - INCA, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil danielbulzico@gmail.com.
Background/Aim:
Although the knowledge regarding adrenocortical carcinomas (ACC) tumorigenesis has significantly improved during the last decade, it still remains to be completely determined. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a well described transcription factor induced process, postulated as an essential step toward cancer progression and metastasis development. In this context, Twist1 has been described as the EMT master-regulator. The aim of this study was to assess the association among Twist1, fibronectin, vimentin and E-cadherin gene expression in adrenocortical tumor samples.
Materials And Methods:
Twist1, fibronectin, vimentin and E-cadherin gene expression in 18 adrenal adenomas, 18 ACC, and 24 childhood onset adrenocortical tumors were assessed in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues. The fold expression was calculated according to the 2ΔCt method.
Results:
A significant correlation between mRNA levels of Twist1, fibronectin and vimentin was evident. Although their expression was inversely proportional, no association was observed between Twist1 and E-cadherin expression.
Conclusion:
The expression of Twist1, the major regulator of EMT, is directly correlated to the expression of mesenchymal markers fibronectin and vimentin in ACC samples.
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