Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2025

Induction and Analysis of Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition
Published on: August 27, 2013
Hypoxia inhibits HUNK kinase activity to induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition
Siyuan Jiang1, Xiaoqi Han2, Zidong Zhao1
1Zhongda Hospital, Medical School, Advanced Institute for Life and Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China.
Abstract:
Hypoxia is a common hallmark of cancer and plays a crucial role in promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Hormonally Upregulated Neu-associated Kinase (HUNK) regulates EMT through its kinase activity. However, whether hypoxia is involved in HUNK-mediated EMT is incompletely understood. This study unveils an association between HUNK kinase activity and hypoxia in colorectal cancer (CRC). Importantly, hypoxia does not alter the expression levels of HUNK, but directly affects the phosphorylation levels of downstream proteins with indication of HUNK activity. Functionally, the upregulation of migration, invasion, and expression of EMT markers in CRC cells under hypoxic conditions can be attributed, in part, to the downregulation of HUNK-mediated phosphorylation of downstream proteins. These findings highlight the intricate relationship between HUNK, hypoxia and the molecular mechanisms of cancer EMT. Understanding these mechanisms may provide valuable insights into therapeutic targets for inhibiting cancer metastasis.
Related Concept Videos
Regulation of Angiogenesis and Blood Supply
PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway
Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
MAPK Signaling Cascades
Cadherins in Tissue Organization
Cell Sorting During Development
Cell sorting plays an...
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...

