title: Regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in endometrial cancer: connecting PI3K, estrogen signaling, and microRNAs.
abstract: Endometrial cancer (EC) prognosis is dependent on many factors such as time of diagnosis, histological type, and degree of invasion. Type I EC has a more favorable prognosis as it is less prone to myometrial invasion, which is believed to be the first step in the metastatic cascade. Type II EC displays a more aggressive and motile phenotype, and therefore has a poorer prognosis. Recent work suggests that despite the epithelial nature of Type I and Type II endometrial tumors, both are capable of undergoing an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which may facilitate myometrial invasion and metastasis. Activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway has been shown to contribute to EMT through the upregulation of EMT-associated factors. Recent research has also linked estrogen signaling and microRNAs to the regulatory mechanisms that drive EMT in EC. Understanding the intricate relationships between these pathways will provide a better understanding of metastatic progression in EC.
authors: Biology Department, University of Saint Joseph, 1678 Asylum Avenue, West Hartford, CT, 06117, USA.
authors: C N
authors: CN
authors: Kent
authors: Biology Department, University of Saint Joseph, 1678 Asylum Avenue, West Hartford, CT, 06117, USA. ireed@usj.edu.
authors: I K
authors: IK
authors: Guttilla Reed
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism*; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases
keywords: Endometrial cancer; Epithelial–mesenchymal transition; Estrogen receptor alpha; G protein-coupled receptor 30; MicroRNA; Phosphoinositide 3-kinase