Pastushenko I, Blanpain C. EMT Transition States during Tumor Progression and Metastasis.
Trends Cell Biol 2018;
29:212-226. [PMID:
30594349 DOI:
10.1016/j.tcb.2018.12.001]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1485] [Impact Index Per Article: 247.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Revised: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process in which epithelial cells acquire mesenchymal features. In cancer, EMT is associated with tumor initiation, invasion, metastasis, and resistance to therapy. Recently, it has been demonstrated that EMT is not a binary process, but occurs through distinct cellular states. Here, we review the recent studies that demonstrate the existence of these different EMT states in cancer and the mechanisms regulating their functions. We discuss the different functional characteristics, such as proliferation, propagation, plasticity, invasion, and metastasis associated with the distinct EMT states. We summarize the role of the transcriptional and epigenetic landscapes, gene regulatory network and their surrounding niche in controlling the transition through the different EMT states.
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