title: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cancer stem cells in endometrial cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer stem cells (CSCs) are presumed to be key conditions for malignancy. Data concerning their role in endometrial cancer (EC) are scarce. We aimed to investigate the possible link between EMT and CSCs markers in EC samples.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study encompassed 156 primary tumour samples. Using RT-qPCR, we analyzed the expression of EMT-related genes, SNAIL and SLUG, and the CSCs marker CD133.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SNAIL and SLUG correlated with each other (R=0.33; p=0.00003). All the studied genes were expressed in both normal and malignant endometrial tissue. Decreased SNAIL expression was found to correlate with post-menopausal status (p=0.002). Decreased SLUG expression was associated with shorter overall survival (p=0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SLUG expression could serve as a prognostic factor in EC. No correlation between the expression of EMT and CSCs markers was found, suggesting there to be no association between the EMT and CSC phenotype in endometrial cancer.
authors: Laboratory of Cell Biology, Department of Medical Biotechnology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdańsk and Medical University of Gdańsk, Dębinki 1, 80-211 Gdańsk, Poland. azaczek@gumed.edu.pl.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Supernat
authors: Sylwia
authors: S
authors: Lapinska-Szumczyk
authors: Hanna
authors: H
authors: Majewska
authors: Jacek
authors: J
authors: Gulczynski
authors: Wojciech
authors: W
authors: Biernat
authors: Dariusz
authors: D
authors: Wydra
authors: Anna J
authors: AJ
authors: Zaczek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers
keywords: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition; cancer stem cells; endometrial cancer; molecular markers; quantitative PCR