文章：

肿瘤进展中的上皮-间质转化

Epithelial–mesenchymal transitions in tumour progression

原文发布日期：2002-06-01

DOI: 10.1038/nrc822

类型: Review Article

开放获取: 否

要点：

1. Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a highly conserved and fundamental process that governs morphogenesis in multicellular organisms.
2. There is good evidence that EMT gives rise to the dissemination of single carcinoma cells from the sites of the primary tumours. More generally, EMT might be involved in the dedifferentiation programme that leads to malignant carcinoma.
3. Recent research conducted in embryonic model systems and in normal and transformed cell lines has identified several signal-transduction pathways for EMT, including the activation of several receptor tyrosine kinases and transforming growth factor-β receptors.
4. Transcriptional repressors of the E-cadherin gene are activated downstream in these pathways, leading to the loss of the epithelial phenotype.
5. Other effectors of the EMT can modulate other adhesion systems and trigger the remodelling of the actin cytoskeleton, leading to the mesenchymal phenotype and the scattering of carcinoma cells.
6. Potential drug targets of EMT in carcinoma are now in development: inhibitors of receptor tyrosine kinases are in Phase III clinical trials. These drugs might have a considerable impact on the long-term survival of people diagnosed with cancer.

要点翻译：

1. 上皮-间质转化（EMT）是一种高度保守的基本过程，在多细胞生物中调控形态发生。
2. 有充分证据表明，EMT导致单个癌细胞从原发性肿瘤部位发生播散。更广泛地说，EMT可能参与引发恶性癌变的去分化程序。
3. 近期在胚胎模型系统及正常与转化细胞系中的研究，已识别出EMT的多种信号转导通路，包括多种受体酪氨酸激酶和转化生长因子-β受体的激活。
4. 这些通路下游会激活E-钙黏蛋白基因的转录抑制因子，导致上皮表型丢失。
5. EMT的其他效应因子可调节其他黏附系统，并触发肌动蛋白细胞骨架的重构，从而形成间质表型并促使癌细胞发生散射。
6. 目前正在开发针对癌中EMT的潜在药物靶点：受体酪氨酸激酶抑制剂已进入III期临床试验阶段，这些药物可能对癌症确诊患者的长期生存产生重大影响。

英文摘要：

Without epithelial–mesenchymal transitions, in which polarized epithelial cells are converted into motile cells, multicellular organisms would be incapable of getting past the blastula stage of embryonic development. However, this important developmental programme has a more sinister role in tumour progression. Epithelial–mesenchymal transition provides a new basis for understanding the progression of carcinoma towards dedifferentiated and more malignant states.

摘要翻译： 

没有上皮-间充质转化（即极化的上皮细胞转变为具有运动能力的细胞），多细胞生物将无法突破胚胎发育的囊胚阶段。然而，这一重要的发育程序在肿瘤进展中却扮演着更为凶险的角色。上皮-间充质转化为理解癌向去分化和更具恶性状态的进展提供了新的基础。

原文链接：

Epithelial–mesenchymal transitions in tumour progression