Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition Activates PERK–eIF2α and Sensitizes Cells to Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress

Abstract

EMT drives tumor metastasis and drug resistance, highlighting the need for therapies that target this malignant subpopulation. Our findings identify a previously unrecognized vulnerability of cancer cells that have undergone an EMT: sensitivity to ER stress. We also find that PERK-eIF2α signaling, which is required to maintain ER homeostasis, is also indispensable for EMT cells to invade and metastasize.