title: Insights into the mechanism of organ-specific cancer metastasis.
abstract: Lucas and colleagues nominate transmembrane serine protease type II (TMPRSS2) as an important player in the initiation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in prostate cancer. Cancer cells maintain androgen receptor-regulated cytoplasmic TMPRSS2 expression, which facilitates EMT invasion and metastasis in model systems through hepatocyte growth factor and c-MET signaling. In addition to providing a rationale for potentially targeting this organ-specific enabler of metastatic disease progression, this study also highlights the importance of understanding how organ/tissue-specific genes are co-opted in the context of cancer.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Precision Medicine of Weill Cornell Medical College and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York. Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York. Department of Urology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York. Meyer Cancer Center of Weill Cornell Medical College and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York. rubinma@med.cornell.edu.
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rubin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D011467:Prostate / Q000378:metabolism; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; C421305:TMPRSS2 protein, human