title: The epithelial-mesenchymal transition in cancer: a potential critical topic for translational proteomic research.
abstract: The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a morphogenetic process that results in a loss of epithelial characteristics and the acquisition of a mesenchymal phenotype. First described in embryogenesis, the EMT has been recently implicated in carcinogenesis and tumor progression. In addition, recent evidence has shown that stem-like cancer cells present the hallmarks of the EMT. Some of the molecular mechanisms related to the interrelationships between cancer pathophysiology and the EMT are well-defined. Nevertheless, the precise molecular mechanism by which epithelial cancer cells acquire the mesenchymal phenotype remains largely unknown. This review focuses on various proteomic strategies with the goal of better understanding the physiological and pathological mechanisms of the EMT process.
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry , School of Medicine - Catholic University , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bottoni
authors.affiliation: b Department of Diagnostic and Molecular Medicine , Catholic University of the Sacred Heart , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Antonietta
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Isgrò
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry , School of Medicine - Catholic University , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scatena
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D063646:Carcinogenesis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D015870:Gene Expression; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D040901:Proteomics; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
keywords: Cancer stem cells; circulating tumor cells; epithelial-mesenchymal transition; migrating cancer stem cells; oncoproteomics