Up-Regulation of Sonic Hedgehog Contributes to TGF-β1-Induced Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in NSCLC Cells

Abstract

Our results show for the first time the transcriptional up-regulation of Shh by TGF-β1, which is mechanistically associated with TGF-β1 induced EMT phenotype and aggressive behavior of NSCLC cells. Thus the inhibitors of Shh signaling could be useful for the reversal of EMT phenotype, which would inhibit the metastatic potential of NSCLC cells and also make these tumors more sensitive to conventional therapeutics.