title: Regulation of EMT by KLF4 in gastrointestinal cancer.
abstract: Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer is characterized by its aggressiveness, but the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. Studies reveal that epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), which is regulated by a series of transcription factors and signaling pathways, is strongly associated with GI cancer cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis. Importantly, EMT is a product of crosstalk between signaling pathways. Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4), a zinc finger-type transcription factor, is decreased or lost in most GI cancers. By transcriptionally regulating its downstream target genes, KLF4 plays important roles of GI cancer tumorigenesis, proliferation and differentiation. In this review, we focus on the mechanism of KLF4 in GI cancer EMT, and demonstrate that through crosstalk with TGF-β, Notch, and Wnt signaling pathways, KLF4 negatively regulates EMT of GI cancers. Finally, we indicate the challenging new frontiers for KLF4 which contributes to better understanding of the mechanism of GI cancer aggressiveness.
authors.forename: Jiujie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quan
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, Unit 1466, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. kepxie@mdanderson.org.
authors.forename: Keping
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Xie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D063646:Carcinogenesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D000090062:Kruppel-Like Factor 4; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C000715467:KLF4 protein, human; D000090062:Kruppel-Like Factor 4; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors