Changes in Cytoskeletal Protein Composition Indicative of an Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Human Micrometastatic and Primary Breast Carcinoma Cells

Abstract

Micrometastatic cancer cells exhibit marked changes in the expression pattern of cytoskeletal proteins indicative of an epithelial-mesenchymal transition. This phenotypical change could already be detected in primary tumors and is associated with the aggressive behavior of breast cancer cells in vivo.