Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 24, 2025

Induction and Analysis of Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition
Published on: August 27, 2013
HOXD9 promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition and metastasis in colorectal carcinoma
Mengwei Liu1, Yizhi Xiao1, Weimei Tang1
1Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Background:
HOXD9, a Hox family member, is involved in cancer growth and metastasis. But, its regulation mechanism at the molecular level particularly in colorectal cancer (CRC), is mostly unknown.
Methods:
The HOXD9 protein expression levels were analyzed using immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays, and western blot. The in vivo and in vitro roles of HOXD9 in CRC were determined using colony formation and EdU incorporation, CCK-8, wound scratch and transwell invasion assay, and animal models.
Results:
Expression of HOXD9 was higher in CRC than in matched healthy tissues. High expression of HOXD9 has significantly associated with the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stages, tumor differentiation, lymph node metastasis, and other serious invasions, and it had a poor prognosis. In vitro, HOXD9 encouraged proliferation, movement and EMT processes in cells of CRC. Also, TGF-β1 promoted the expression of HOXD9 and this effect was dependent on the dose and downregulation of HOXD9 repressed TGF-β1 -induced EMT. In vivo, HOXD9 promoted the invasive and metastasis of CRC cells via orthotopic implantation.
Conclusions:
The ectopic expression of HOXD9 promoted the invasion metastasis in cells of the colorectal tumor by induction of EMT in vitro and vivo.
Related Concept Videos
Metastasis
Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition
The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition or EMT is a developmental process commonly observed in wound healing, embryogenesis, and cancer metastasis. EMT is induced by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) or receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) ligands, which further...
Cadherins in Tissue Organization
Cell Sorting During Development
Cell sorting plays an...
Hedgehog Signaling Pathway
Role Of Notch Signalling In Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal
Direct cell-to-cell contact is needed for the activation of Notch signaling. The signal is initiated when a notch ligand binds to a receptor on an adjacent cell, also...
Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia
Role of Ephrin-Eph Signalling in Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal

