title: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition: implications in cancer progression and metastasis.
abstract: During the past few years, Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) has emerged as one of the most hot spots in clinical research. Its existence in human tumors can form the basis for explaining characteristics of cancer progression and metastasis, as well as certain cases of drug resistance and relapses after treatment. These cellular responses are tightly regulated by intracellular signaling pathways evoked by humoral factors that include growth factors, chemokines and cytokines. Indeed, several gene regulatory programs known to promote EMT during development have recently been discovered to play key roles in cancer progression. A deeper understanding of the cellular and molecular basis of these different programs should aid in both the development of better diagnosis methods, as well as of specific treatments for invasive cancer. In this review we set out to summarize recent novel insights into the molecular players underlying EMT and its relation with cancer progression and metastasis.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química –USP, São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Terra
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Sogayar
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Labriola
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018450:Disease Progression; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000378:metabolism; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases