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Review
. 2009 Sep 15;69(18):7135-9.
doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-09-1618. Epub 2009 Sep 8.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cell cooperativity in metastasis

Takanori Tsuji  1 , Soichiro Ibaragi, Guo-fu Hu
Affiliations
Review

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cell cooperativity in metastasis

Takanori Tsuji et al. Cancer Res. .

Abstract

The role of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in metastasis remains controversial. EMT has been postulated as an absolute requirement for tumor invasion and metastasis. Three different models including incomplete EMT, mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET), and collective migration have been proposed for the role of EMT in cancer invasion and metastasis. However, skepticism remains about whether EMT truly occurs during cancer progression, and if it does, whether it plays an indispensible role in metastasis. Our recent findings suggest that EMT cells are responsible for degrading the surrounding matrix to enable invasion and intravasation of both EMT and non-EMT cells. Only non-EMT cells that have entered the blood stream are able to re-establish colonies in the secondary sites. Here, we discuss an alternative model for the role of EMT in cancer metastasis in which EMT and non-EMT cells cooperate to complete the entire process of spontaneous metastasis.

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Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. A novel model for the role of EMT in cancer progression and metastasis
A, EMT invade into the blood stream but do not establish lung metastasis. B, Non-EMT cells do not invade but establish lung metastasis once it gets into the blood stream. C, Cooperation between non-EMT and EMT cells complete the entire metastatic process. D, Model of cell cooperativity. Cancer cells with an EMT phenotype invade into the surrounding tissues, enable non-EMT cells to migrate and intravasate so that both cell types enter the circulation. However, only non-EMT cells are able to regrow in the distant organs and establish metastasis.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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