EMT and tumor metastasis

TLDR

EMT and MET are cellular processes that enable transitions between epithelial and mesenchymal states, crucial for normal development and cancer metastasis. The article reviews EMT/MET mechanisms and molecular pathways, proposing that reversible epigenetic events regulate these transitions and drive metastatic cancer development. It compares embryogenesis with cancer metastasis, analyzes signaling pathways and receptor expression changes, discusses clinical implications across tumor types, and examines epigenetic regulation of EMT/MET.

Abstract

EMT and MET comprise the processes by which cells transit between epithelial and mesenchymal states, and they play integral roles in both normal development and cancer metastasis. This article reviews these processes and the molecular pathways that contribute to them. First, we compare embryogenesis and development with cancer metastasis. We then discuss the signaling pathways and the differential expression and down-regulation of receptors in both tumor cells and stromal cells, which play a role in EMT and metastasis. We further delve into the clinical implications of EMT and MET in several types of tumors, and lastly, we discuss the role of epigenetic events that regulate EMT/MET processes. We hypothesize that reversible epigenetic events regulate both EMT and MET, and thus, also regulate the development of different types of metastatic cancers.