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Dynamic EMT: a multi-tool for tumor progression.

Simone Brabletz1, Harald Schuhwerk1, Thomas Brabletz1

  • 1Department of Experimental Medicine 1, Nikolaus-Fiebiger Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.

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Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) drives embryonic development and cancer invasion. Targeting EMT could offer a multi-pronged strategy against cancer progression and therapy resistance.

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EMTMETSLUGSNAILTWISTZEB1ZEB2cancercell plasticityhybrid EMTinvasionmetastasispartial EMTsignaling pathwaystumor stemness

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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Cancer Biology

Background:

  • Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is crucial for embryonic development, enabling cell motility and differentiation.
  • In cancer, EMT is co-opted to promote tumor cell invasion, metastasis, and stemness.
  • EMT also contributes to therapeutic resistance and tumor adaptation within the microenvironment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the classical and non-classical functions of EMT in cancer.
  • To highlight EMT's role as a versatile driver of tumorigenesis.
  • To explore therapeutic strategies targeting EMT.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent findings on EMT in cancer.
  • Synthesis of information on EMT's diverse roles in tumor progression.
  • Analysis of EMT's implications for cancer therapy.

Main Results:

  • EMT confers essential changes in cell morphology and motility, facilitating invasion.
  • EMT promotes key cancer hallmarks including stemness, tumorigenicity, and therapy resistance.
  • EMT enables cancer cells to adapt to microenvironmental challenges.

Conclusions:

  • EMT acts as a multifaceted 'tumorigenic multi-tool' in cancer.
  • Understanding EMT's complexities is key to developing effective therapies.
  • Targeting EMT offers a promising strategy to simultaneously inhibit multiple aspects of tumor progression.