The endoplasmic reticulum may be an Achilles' heel of cancer cells that have undergone an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.
In a recent report published in Cancer Discovery we identified a novel vulnerability of cancer cells that have undergone an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and established that the PERK branch of the unfolded protein response is constitutively activated upon EMT. In this commentary, we summarize and provide context for our findings.
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research , 9 Cambridge Center ; Cambridge, MA USA.
Yu-Xiong
YX
Feng
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 9 Cambridge Center; Cambridge, MA USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA USA.
Ethan S
ES
Sokol
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 9 Cambridge Center; Cambridge, MA USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA USA; Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Cambridge, MA USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA USA; Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA USA.
Piyush B
PB
Gupta
EMT; ER stress; UPR