Project description:Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a dynamic process that relies on cellular plasticity; an EMT/MET axis is critical for metastatic colonization of carcinomas. Unlike epithelial programming, regulation of mesenchymal programming is not well understood in EMT. Here we describe the first microRNA that enhances exclusively mesenchymal programming. We demonstrate that microRNA-424 is up-regulated early during a TWIST1/SNAI1-induced EMT, and that it causes cells to express mesenchymal genes without affecting epithelial genes, resulting in a mixed/intermediate EMT. Further, microRNA-424 increases motility, decreases adhesion and induces a growth arrest, changes associated with a complete EMT. Patient microRNA-424 levels positively associate with TWIST1/2 and EMT-like gene signatures and is increased in primary tumors versus matched normal breast. However, microRNA-424 is down-regulated in metastases versus matched primary tumors. Correspondingly, microRNA-424 decreases tumor initiation and is post-transcriptionally down-regulated in macrometastases in mice. RNA-seq identified microRNA-424 regulates numerous genes associated with EMT and breast cancer stemness including the novel miR-424 target, TGFBR3, which regulates mesenchymal phenotypes without influencing miR-424 effects on tumor-initiating phenotypes; instead, we show that ERK signaling is critical for such tumor-initiating effects of miR-424. These findings suggest microRNA-424 plays distinct roles downstream of EMT-inducing factors, facilitating earlier stages, but repressing later stages, of metastasis. Examination of mRNA levels in MCF12A human breast cell lines that stably over-expressed miR-424 or an empty vector (EV) control. Each group has three replicates.
Project description:Epithelial tumor cells (E) underwent EMT in vivo in FVB/N mice generating mesenchymal tumors. Mesenchymal cell lines (M1-M4) were each derived from a different mouse. This study compares gene expression between these two different tumor types. Keywords: cell type comparison
Project description:Epithelial tumor cells (E) underwent EMT in vivo in FVB/N mice generating mesenchymal tumors. Mesenchymal cell lines (M1-M4) were each derived from a different mouse. This study compares gene expression between these two different tumor types. Keywords: cell type comparison Two replicates were prepared for each of five cell lines, one epithelial cell line (E) and 4 mesenchymal cell lines M1-M4.
Project description:<p>The involvement of membrane-bound solute carriers (SLCs) in neoplastic transdifferentiation processes is poorly defined. Here, we examined changes in the SLC landscape during epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of pancreatic cancer cells. We show that two SLCs from the organic anion/cation transporter family, SLC22A10 and SLC22A15, favor EMT via interferon (IFN) α and γ signaling activation of receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 (ROR1) expression. In addition, SLC22A10 and SLC22A15 allow tumor cell accumulation of glutathione to support EMT via the IFNα/γ-ROR1 axis. Moreover, a pan-SLC22A inhibitor lesinurad reduces EMT-induced metastasis and gemcitabine chemoresistance to prolong survival in mouse models of pancreatic cancer, thus identifying new vulnerabilities for human PDAC.</p>
Project description:Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) has been associated with cancer cell heterogeneity, plasticity and metastasis. It has been the subject of several modeling effort. This logical model of the EMT cellular network aims to assess microenvironmental signals controlling cancer-associated phenotypes amid the EMT continuum. Its outcomes relate to the qualitative degrees of cell adhesions by adherent junctions and focal adhesions, two features affected during EMT. Model attractors recover epithelial, mesenchymal and hybrid phenotypes, and simulations show that hybrid phenotypes may arise through independent molecular paths, involving stringent extrinsic signals.
Of particular interest, model predictions and their experimental validations indicated that: 1) ECM stiffening is a prerequisite for cells overactivating FAK-SRC to upregulate SNAIL1 and acquire a mesenchymal phenotype, and 2) FAK-SRC inhibition of cell-cell contacts through the Receptor Protein Tyrosine Phosphates kappa leads to the acquisition of a full mesenchymal rather than a hybrid phenotype.
Project description:This model is an expansion of the Regan2022 - Mechanosensitive EMT model (MODEL2208050001); it includes a TGFβ signaling module and autocrine signaling in mesenchymal cells. The expanded 150-node (630 link) modular model undergoes EMT triggered by biomechanical and growth signaling crosstalk, or by TGFβ. As its predecessor, this model also reproduces the ability of the core EMT transcriptional network to maintain distinct epithelial, hybrid E/M and mesenchymal states, as well as EMT driven by mitogens such as EGF on stiff ECM. We also reproduce the observed lack of stepwise MET, in that our model's dynamics does not pass through the hybrid E/M state during MET. We show that in the absence of strong autocrine signals such as TGFβ (not included in this version), cells cannot maintain their mesenchymal state in the absence of mitogens, on softer matrices, or at high cell density. In contrast, potent autocrine signaling can stabilize the mesenchymal state in all but very dense monolayers on soft ECM. This expanded model also reproduces the inhibitory effects of TGFβ on proliferation and anoikis resistance in mesenchymal cells, as well as its ability to trigger apoptosis on soft ECM vs. EMT on stiff matrices. The model offers several experimentally testable predictions related to the effect of neighbors on partial vs. full EMT, the tug of war between mitosis and the maintenance of migratory hybrid E/M states, as well as cell cycle defects in dynamic, heterogeneous populations of epithelial, hybrid E/M and mesenchymal cells.
Project description:The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an embryonic transdifferentiation program which consists of the conversion of polarized epithelial cells into a motile mesenchymal phenotype. EMT is aberrantly reactivated during tumor progression, promoting metastatic dissemination. Herein, we demonstrate that EMT-permissive conditions also favor tumor initiation by minimizing the number of events required for neoplastic transformation. We further demonstrated that even the partial commitment of human mammary epithelial cells into an EMT program is sufficient to confer malignant properties, suggesting that the reactivation of embryonic EMT inducers participates to the primary tumor growth long before the initiation of the invasion-metastasis cascade. arrayCGH profiles analysis of Tert/shp53/Ras epithelial HMEC derivatives and 3 different tumors generated after injection of mesenchymal Tert/shp53/Ras/ HMEC derivatives in fad pads of nude mice
Project description:Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a dynamic process that relies on cellular plasticity; an EMT/MET axis is critical for metastatic colonization of carcinomas. Unlike epithelial programming, regulation of mesenchymal programming is not well understood in EMT. Here we describe the first microRNA that enhances exclusively mesenchymal programming. We demonstrate that microRNA-424 is up-regulated early during a TWIST1/SNAI1-induced EMT, and that it causes cells to express mesenchymal genes without affecting epithelial genes, resulting in a mixed/intermediate EMT. Further, microRNA-424 increases motility, decreases adhesion and induces a growth arrest, changes associated with a complete EMT. Patient microRNA-424 levels positively associate with TWIST1/2 and EMT-like gene signatures and is increased in primary tumors versus matched normal breast. However, microRNA-424 is down-regulated in metastases versus matched primary tumors. Correspondingly, microRNA-424 decreases tumor initiation and is post-transcriptionally down-regulated in macrometastases in mice. RNA-seq identified microRNA-424 regulates numerous genes associated with EMT and breast cancer stemness including the novel miR-424 target, TGFBR3, which regulates mesenchymal phenotypes without influencing miR-424 effects on tumor-initiating phenotypes; instead, we show that ERK signaling is critical for such tumor-initiating effects of miR-424. These findings suggest microRNA-424 plays distinct roles downstream of EMT-inducing factors, facilitating earlier stages, but repressing later stages, of metastasis.
Project description:This file contains a 136-node modular Boolean network model of EMT triggered by biomechanical and growth signaling crosstalk, linked to a published network of epithelial contact inhibition, proliferation, and apoptosis (MODEL2006170001). This model reproduces the ability of the core EMT transcriptional network to maintain distinct epithelial, hybrid E/M and mesenchymal states, as well as EMT driven by mitogens such as EGF on stiff ECM. We also reproduce the observed lack of stepwise MET, in that our model's dynamics does not pass through the hybrid E/M state during MET. We show that in the absence of strong autocrine signals such as TGFβ (not included in this version), cells cannot maintain their mesenchymal state in the absence of mitogens, on softer matrices, or at high cell density.
Project description:Mouse ovarian cancer cells lines were generated from primary tumor tissues, metastatic tumor tissues and in vitro cultured ovarian bursa cells. Gene transcripts from the whole genome were tested using WG6 microarray to compare gene expression level of cells lines with and without Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition(EMT).