上皮间质转化与乳腺癌的研究进展

在肿瘤演进中,原发性肿瘤中的一些细胞再次激活调控胚胎发育被称之为上皮间质转化(epithelial-mesenchymal transition,EMT)的潜在途径,使得上皮细胞获得间质细胞特征,更易发生侵袭和转移。EMT的异常激活与高侵袭基底型乳腺癌相关,提高了细胞生存能力、获得干细胞潜能及增强其侵袭转移能力,EMT化的癌干细胞对常规治疗更具有抵抗性。本文总结了与EMT相关的调控因子及癌干细胞在乳腺癌进展中的作用。

Advancement of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and breast cancer

During cancer progression,some cells within the primary tumor may reactivate a latent embryonic program known as epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT).Through EMT,epithelial cells can acquire the mesenchymal traits that seem to facilitate invasion and metastasis.Aberrant activation of EMT is associated with the highly aggressive basal-like breast cancer and confers increased cell survival,stem-like properties,and migratory and invasive capabilities.The cancer stem cells derived from EMT are more resistant to many conventional cancer therapies.The purpose of this review was to summarize the regulatory factors related to EMT,cancer stem cells in breast cancer progression,and therapy resistance.