Article
Food Science & Technology
Kang Ma, Han Chen, Ke Wang, Xue Han, Yue Zhang, Hui Wang, Zhiqiang Hu, Jing Wang
Summary: In this study, it was found that pterostilbene (PTE) can inhibit the metastasis of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) by reversing the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and suppressing stemness. PTE can also inhibit the lung metastasis of TNBC by suppressing the nuclear translocation of beta-catenin.
JOURNAL OF FUNCTIONAL FOODS
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Jeroen Verstappe, Geert Berx
Summary: Stem cells have the ability to self-renew and give rise to differentiated cells, playing important roles in maintaining tissue homeostasis and injury repair. Cancer stem cells, which exhibit stem-like properties, are responsible for tumor growth, metastasis, and relapse. The process of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is correlated with stemness in both normal and cancer cells, indicating the acquisition of stemness is not intrinsic. Recent studies show that hybrid EMT states have a higher likelihood of acquiring stem cell traits. The position of a cell along the EMT axis, known as the stemness window, determines the EMT/MET inducing programs required to reach stemness.
SEMINARS IN CANCER BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Yutaro Tsubakihara, Yae Ohata, Yukari Okita, Shady Younis, Jens Eriksson, Mikael E. Sellin, Jiang Ren, Peter Ten Dijke, Kohei Miyazono, Atsuhiko Hikita, Takeshi Imamura, Mitsuyasu Kato, Carl-Henrik Heldin, Aristidis Moustakas
Summary: TGF beta promotes sternness and invasiveness in breast cancer cells by inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastatic colonization by inducing mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET). However, whether TGF beta can promote both sternness and invasiveness simultaneously via EMT remains unclear.
MOLECULAR ONCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Paola De Cicco, Giuseppe Ercolano, Gian Carlo Tenore, Angela Ianaro
Summary: This study investigated the effects of an extract from olive tree leaves (OLE) on metastatic melanoma, a highly aggressive and deadly form of skin cancer. The results showed that OLE inhibited melanoma cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and colonies formation both in vitro and in vivo. These effects were attributed to the targeting of mitogen-activated protein kinase and PI3K pathways. The findings suggest that OLE has the potential to be a new add-on therapy for the management of metastatic melanoma.
PHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH
(2022)
Review
Oncology
Yaseen Hussain, Jing Hao Cui, Haroon Khan, Michael Aschner, Gaber El-Saber Batiha, Philippe Jeandet
Summary: Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a key role in cancer metastasis, and luteolin, a natural flavonoid, inhibits cancer cell growth through various mechanisms, making it a potential drug for regulating cancer cell activity.
Article
Biology
Lauren E. Carter, David P. Cook, Curtis W. McCloskey, Melanie A. Grondin, David A. Landry, Tiffany Dang, Olga Collins, Lisa F. Gamwell, Holly A. Dempster, Barbara C. Vanderhyden
Summary: The authors used spheroids as a model to study the molecular signatures of ovarian surface epithelial cells exhibiting stemness phenotype in vitro, finding a high degree of heterogeneity in the transcriptional profiles of stem cells induced under different conditions. They suggest that maintenance of the ovarian surface epithelium may not require a single stem cell population but instead rely on heterogeneous stem cells induced transiently under diverse environmental cues, indicating a more complex and dynamic system in regulating the stem cell characteristics in this tissue.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Otorhinolaryngology
Karl Payne, Jill Brooks, Nikolaos Batis, Graham Taylor, Paul Nankivell, Hisham Mehanna
Summary: This study validated a protocol using microfluidic enrichment and flow cytometry to characterize EMT CTCs in HNSCC. CTCs were associated with advanced disease, but not with progression-free or overall survival. Furthermore, there was no correlation between tumor and CTC EMT profiles, suggesting that CTCs may undergo an adaptive EMT in response to stimuli within the circulation.
HEAD AND NECK-JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENCES AND SPECIALTIES OF THE HEAD AND NECK
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Zhen Tan, Josephine Mun-Yee Ko, Valen Zhuoyou Yu, Ka-On Lam, Dora Lai-Wan Kwong, Ian Yu-Hong Wong, Fion Siu-Yin Chan, Claudia Lai-Yin Wong, Kwan-Kit Chan, Tsz-Ting Law, Faith Sin-Fai Choy, Hoi-Yan Ng, Simon Ying-Kit Law, Maria Li Lung
Summary: By detecting multiple cancer driver genes associated with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) at the transcript level, we investigated the clinical significance of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in cancer progression. The study found significant correlations between the presence of CTCs and tumor size, cancer stages, and metastasis. Furthermore, high mRNA levels of certain genes were associated with shorter overall survival in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Sara Lovisa
Summary: EMT, a process crucial in wound healing, fibrosis, and cancer, has gained significant attention from researchers since its discovery in the seventies. Despite advances in understanding its functional role, targeting EMT in fibrotic diseases remains a challenge at an early stage of development.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kittipong Sanookpan, Nongyao Nonpanya, Boonchoo Sritularak, Pithi Chanvorachote
Summary: The study demonstrated that ovalitenone suppresses EMT via inhibition of the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway and has potential for inhibiting CSC phenotypes. These findings reveal the anti-metastasis potential of the compound and support the development of ovalitenone treatment for lung cancer therapy.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sucharat Tungsukruthai, Boonchoo Sritularak, Pithi Chanvorachote
Summary: Lung cancer metastasis is a major cause of lung cancer-related deaths. This study investigated the potential of cycloartocarpin in inhibiting the metastasis of lung cancer cells. The results showed that non-toxic concentrations of cycloartocarpin effectively suppressed cell migration and attenuated anchorage-independent cell growth. This was accompanied by the inhibition of the EMT process through the suppression of the FAK/AKT signaling pathway.
Article
Immunology
Sarthak Sahoo, Sonali Priyadarshini Nayak, Kishore Hari, Prithu Purkait, Susmita Mandal, Akash Kishore, Herbert Levine, Mohit Kumar Jolly
Summary: Recent research shows that cells with hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal characteristics can have high levels of PD-L1, important for immune evasion, without needing to fully undergo epithelial-mesenchymal transition. This cellular state in breast cancer is associated with resistance to anti-estrogen therapy.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jian Lu, Marko Kornmann, Benno Traub
Summary: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a cellular reprogramming process where cancer cells acquire a more aggressive phenotype. EMT and its opposite process, mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET), have been observed in colorectal cancer (CRC) and other tumors. Activation of EMT leads to decreased expression of the epithelial marker E-cadherin and increased expression of the mesenchymal marker vimentin, resulting in cells temporarily adopting a mesenchymal phenotype and promoting tumor cell spread. The significance of EMT-MET and epithelial cell plasticity in CRC has implications for prognosis and the development of targeted treatments.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Marnie Hillary Carvalho Leao, Manoel Luis Costa, Claudia Mermelstein
Summary: Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a complex biological process that can be used to motivate medical students to learn and understand cell biology by exploring the involvement of different cellular components and processes in the transition.
CELL BIOLOGY INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Melissa R. Bentley-Ford, Reagan S. Andersen, Mandy J. Croyle, Courtney J. Haycraft, Kelsey R. Clearman, Jeremy B. Foote, Jeremy F. Reiter, Bradley K. Yoder
Summary: Atxn10 gene is involved in cytokinesis and is associated with spinocerebellar ataxia, nephronophthisis, and Joubert syndrome. Disruption of Atxn10 leads to embryonic lethality in mice and severe pancreatic and renal abnormalities in adult mice, causing death within a few weeks post Atxn10 deletion. This study reveals that Atxn10 is essential for survival and its loss results in rapid epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in tissues like the pancreas.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Ayalur R. Subbalakshmi, Sarthak Sahoo, Kuheli Biswas, Mohit Kumar Jolly
Summary: Epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity plays a crucial role in aggressive tumor progression, and cells in hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal phenotype exhibit greater aggressiveness. The study reveals that SLUG can stabilize cells in the hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal phenotype, functioning as a phenotypic stability factor. This finding has important implications for understanding metastasis mechanisms.
CELLS TISSUES ORGANS
(2023)
Article
Oncology
K. T. Shreya Parthasarathi, Susmita Mandal, Smrita Singh, Seetaramanjaneyulu Gundimeda, Mohit Kumar Jolly, Akhilesh Pandey, Jyoti Sharma
Summary: The alterations in ion channels and their interactions with EMT-related genes play a crucial role in breast cancer development and prognosis.
Article
Biophysics
Anish Hebbar, Ankush Moger, Kishore Hari, Mohit Kumar Jolly
Summary: The study found that multistable EMP networks are structurally and dynamically more robust compared to random networks, determined by the balance of positive and negative feedback loops embedded in the networks. By measuring the number and length of negative and positive feedback loops, the robustness of these networks can be explained, allowing for comparison across different sizes of networks without simulating dynamics.
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Wen Jia, Atchuta Srinivas Duddu, Mohit Kumar Jolly, Herbert Levine
Summary: Biological cells can have different phenotypes determined by genetic networks, and the creation of landscapes is a popular way to represent these states. It is commonly believed that the landscape provides direct information about the state-to-state transition rates. However, this study shows that there is no direct correlation between the properties of the landscape and the corresponding transition rates.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY B
(2022)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Burhanuddin Sabuwala, Kishore Hari, Abhishek Shanmuga Vengatasalam, Mohit Kumar Jolly
Summary: Multistability is important in biological systems and can be achieved through positive feedback loops. This study investigates the bistability characteristics of mutual inhibition, mutual activation, and self-activation loops. The results show that mutual inhibition-based architecture provides discrete and robust control, multistability, and coordinated expression among multiple genes compared to mutual activation-based architecture. A combination of mutual inhibition and mutual activation architectures is proposed to improve coordination and multistability. This research improves our understanding of control structures in cell-fate decisions and provides insights for controlled decision-making in synthetic systems.
CELLS TISSUES ORGANS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sharaj Kunjar, Ariana Strandburg-Peshkin, Helge Giese, Pranav Minasandra, Sumantra Sarkar, Mohit Kumar Jolly, Nico Gradwohl
Summary: Consensus decision-making in social groups is influenced by communication links that determine information exchange. This study shows that strategically adjusting communication links can bias group-level outcomes and help achieve consensus, but strong preferences can lead to non-consensus outcomes.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Viola Hedrich, Kristina Breitenecker, Gregor Ortmayr, Franziska Pupp, Heidemarie Huber, Doris Chen, Sarthak Sahoo, Mohit Kumar Jolly, Wolfgang Mikulits
Summary: This study identified PRAME as a target gene of the Gas6/Axl signaling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma. PRAME promotes dedifferentiation, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and invasion in liver cancer cells. The expression of PRAME is associated with an unfavorable prognosis in HCC patients.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Seemadri Subhadarshini, Joel Markus, Sarthak Sahoo, Mohit Kumar Jolly
Summary: Epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity (EMP) is a crucial factor in cancer metastasis and therapeutic resistance, allowing cancer cells to alter their characteristics along the epithelial-mesenchymal spectrum. Single-cell studies have provided valuable insights into the dynamics of EMP, showing the heterogeneity of hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal phenotypes and their impact on patient survival.
Article
Cell Biology
Shinjinee Sengupta, Namrata Singh, Ajoy Paul, Debalina Datta, Debdeep Chatterjee, Semanti Mukherjee, Laxmikant Gadhe, Jyoti Devi, Yeshwanth Mahesh, Mohit Kumar Jolly, Samir K. Maji
Summary: The study found a strong correlation between p53 amyloid load and cancer grades. Both mutant and wild-type p53 were capable of forming amyloids in cancer tissues. Furthermore, the p53 amyloids sequestered higher amounts of related proteins, suggesting a potential mechanism for loss of tumor-suppressive function and gain of oncogenic function in cancer progression.
JOURNAL OF CELL SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Federico Bocci, Dongya Jia, Qing Nie, Mohit Kumar Jolly, Jose Onuchic
Summary: The last decade has seen a rise in theoretical and computational models used to describe complex gene regulatory networks and their dynamics, which can result in multistable and heterogeneous cell populations. The application of theoretical modeling in genetic and biochemical circuits has become more widespread, with theoreticians incorporating concepts from statistical physics, non-linear dynamics, and network theory. This review provides an overview of important methodologies in the field, discusses current and future challenges, offers hands-on tutorials for solving and simulating biological system models, and presents concrete examples for theoreticians interested in this fast-developing field.
REPORTS ON PROGRESS IN PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Mathematical & Computational Biology
Kishore Hari, William Duncan, Mohammed Adil Ibrahim, Mohit Kumar Jolly, Breschine Cummins, Tomas Gedeon
Summary: Mathematical modeling of gene regulatory networks (GRN) is challenging due to parameter dependence and lack of reliable experimental parameters. This study compares two approaches, RACIPE and DSGRN, for describing GRN dynamics across unknown parameters and finds agreement in simulation and predictions for cellular decision making. The observation is important as DSGRN parameter domains accurately predict ODE model dynamics within a biologically reasonable range of parameters.
NPJ SYSTEMS BIOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Review
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Maalavika Pillai, Emilia Hojel, Mohit Kumar Jolly, Yogesh Goyal
Summary: Computational models and tools have been used to understand the origins and nature of non-genetic heterogeneity in cancer, which has significant clinical implications. Non-genetic heterogeneity is increasingly associated with therapy resistance and metastasis in cancer. Identifying the origins of non-genetic heterogeneity is crucial for making clinical breakthroughs.
NATURE COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Paras Jain, Sophia Corbo, Kulsoom Mohammad, Sarthak Sahoo, Santhalakshmi Ranganathan, Jason T. George, Herbert Levine, Joseph Taube, Michael Toneff, Mohit Kumar Jolly
Summary: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and its reverse mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) play crucial roles in embryonic development, wound healing, and cancer metastasis. While short-term EMT induction can lead to reversible phenotypic changes, long-term EMT induction is often associated with irreversibility. In this study, we demonstrate that the phenotypic changes observed in MCF10A cells during long-term EMT induction by TGF-beta can in fact have longer timescales of reversibility. We also propose a mathematical model that explains how the epigenetic memory gained during long-term EMT induction can slow down the recovery to the epithelial state after TGF-beta withdrawal.
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY INTERFACE
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Manas Sehgal, Soundharya Ramu, Joel Markus Vaz, Yogheshwer Raja Ganapathy, Srinath Muralidharan, Sankalpa Venkatraghavan, Mohit Kumar Jolly
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between gene expression patterns and phenotypic plasticity and heterogeneity in colorectal cancer (CRC). The results demonstrate the interconnectedness between different Consensus Molecular Subtypes (CMS) of CRC and specific phenotypes such as epithelial and mesenchymal characteristics. Additionally, the study reveals correlations between metabolic pathways and phenotypic scores, as well as between PD-L1 activity and mesenchymal phenotype. Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis further confirms the heterogeneity of different CMS subtypes. These findings have important implications for understanding CRC heterogeneity and developing targeted therapies.
TRANSLATIONAL ONCOLOGY
(2024)