EMT 的表观遗传调控在癌症进程中的研究进展

上皮-间质转化(Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition,EMT)是上皮细胞通过特定程序转变为间充质细胞的形态学过程,在癌症侵袭-转移级联过程中发挥着重要的作用。在癌症进程中,肿瘤细胞会经过一系列动态和可逆的细胞表型变化。EMT 程序的这种可塑性提示表观遗传调控在这一过程中发挥着重要的作用。EMT 相关的转录因子能够通过调控关键靶基因的表达,从而调节 EMT 程序。这些主要的 EMT 诱导因子依赖于表观遗传调控机制,从而调节 EMT 过程中基因表达变化。因此理解 EMT 调控的表观遗传机制有助于我们更好地了解肿瘤转移的分子机制,为恶性肿瘤的治疗提供新的靶点和思路。

The Epigenetic Regulation of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Cancer Progression

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a morphologic program in which cells convert from the epithelial to the mesenchymal state, plays a pivotal role during malignant tumor invasion-metastasis cascade. During the cancer progression, tumor cells undergo a series of dynamic and reversible cell phenotypic states transitions. Phenotypic plasticity of EMT program implies that epigenetic regulators play crucial roles in this process. Several EMT transcription factors can modulate EMT through regulating expression of the key target genes. These master EMT inducers orchestrate EMT program depending on complex epigenetic regulatory mechanisms. Therefore, understanding of epigenetic mechanisms controlling EMT will provide critical insights into the fundamental mechanisms underlying cancer metastasis, and newtherapeutic targets for the treatment of malignant tumor.