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Cadherin Expression and EMT: A Focus on Gliomas
Carolina Noronha1,2,3, Ana Sofia Ribeiro2, Ricardo Taipa4,5
1Neurosurgery Department, Hospital de Santo António, Centro Hospitalar Universitario do Porto, 4099-001 Porto, Portugal.
Biomedicines
|October 23, 2021
Summary
Cadherins are key proteins in cell adhesion. Cancer cells exploit cadherin changes, like the epithelial to mesenchymal transition, for invasion, but their role in non-epithelial tumors like gliomas needs further study.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Oncology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Cadherins are calcium-binding proteins crucial for cell adhesion and tissue stability.
- Cancer cells utilize cadherin-mediated adhesion and migration for tumor invasiveness and metastasis.
- The epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), marked by a cadherin switch (E-cadherin to N-cadherin), is vital in epithelial cancers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current knowledge on cadherin expression in normal development and tumor pathogenesis, focusing on EMT.
- To highlight the understudied role of cadherins in non-epithelial tumors, particularly central nervous system (CNS) tumors.
- To discuss the potential contribution of an EMT-like process to glioma development and its association with cadherin expression.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of cadherin expression in normal development.
- Review of cadherin roles in epithelial cancer progression and EMT.
- Analysis of existing data and hypotheses regarding cadherin expression in CNS tumors and gliomas.
Main Results:
- Cadherin expression patterns are well-characterized in epithelial cancers, particularly concerning EMT.
- The role of cadherins and EMT-like processes in non-epithelial tumors, including gliomas, remains largely unexplored.
- Specific cadherin expression profiles in gliomas are not well-defined, warranting further investigation.
Conclusions:
- Understanding cadherin dynamics, especially EMT, is critical for comprehending tumor progression.
- Further research into cadherin expression in CNS tumors is necessary to elucidate their role in glioma pathogenesis.
- Investigating EMT-like processes in gliomas may reveal novel therapeutic targets.
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