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Updated: Jul 3, 2025
Gene Regulation and Targeted Therapy in Gastric Cancer Peritoneal Metastasis: Radiological Findings from Dual Energy CT and PET/CT
Published on: January 22, 2018
Expression of Snail and Twist compared with clinical and pathological parameters in patients with gastric cancer
Elena Poryazova1, Denitsa Serteva1, Daniel Markov1
1Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Introduction:
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process of change in the cellular phenotype from epithelial to mesenchymal morphology. The changes at the cellular level can explain the great heterogeneity and plasticity in the different histological subtypes of gastric carcinomas, which causes difficulties in therapy. In it, epithelial cells reduce intercellular adhesion, which is crucial in the process of invasion and metastasis of gastric carcinomas. Inhibition of cell adhesion molecules such as E-cadherin is known to be influenced by a number of transcription factors, such as Snail and Twist.
Insights
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) drives gastric cancer heterogeneity and metastasis by reducing cell adhesion. Understanding EMT, influenced by factors like Snail and Twist, is key to improving gastric carcinoma therapies.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Cell Biology
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) alters cell morphology from epithelial to mesenchymal.
- EMT contributes to gastric carcinoma heterogeneity and therapeutic challenges.
- Reduced intercellular adhesion during EMT facilitates cancer invasion and metastasis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of EMT in gastric carcinoma.
- To understand how EMT-associated cellular changes impact cancer progression.
- To explore the molecular mechanisms underlying EMT in gastric cancer, including cell adhesion molecule regulation.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of cellular phenotypes in gastric carcinoma subtypes.
- Investigation of cell adhesion molecule expression and function.
- Examination of transcription factor involvement (e.g., Snail, Twist) in EMT.
Main Results:
- EMT was identified as a key process underlying gastric cancer's cellular heterogeneity.
- Reduced E-cadherin expression, a marker of EMT, correlates with invasive and metastatic potential.
- Transcription factors like Snail and Twist were implicated in regulating EMT and E-cadherin inhibition.
Conclusions:
- EMT significantly contributes to the complex biology of gastric carcinomas.
- Targeting EMT pathways, including cell adhesion and key transcription factors, may offer novel therapeutic strategies for gastric cancer.
