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Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transitions and Circulating Tumor Cells

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Abstract

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenomena endow epithelial cells with enhanced migratory and invasive potential, and as such, have been implicated in many physiological and pathological processes requiring cell migration/invasion. Although their involvement in the metastatic cascade is still a subject of debate, data are accumulating to demonstrate the existence of EMT phenotypes in primary human tumors, describe enhanced metastatic potential of EMT derivatives in animal models, and report EMT attributes in circulating tumor cells (CTCs). The relationships between EMT and CTCs remain largely unexplored, and we review here in vitro and in vivo data supporting a putative role of EMT processes in CTC generation and survival.

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Figure 1
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Abbreviations

CTC:

Cirulating Tumor Cell

DTC:

Disseminated Tumor Cell

EMT:

Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition

MET:

Mesenchymal-to-Epithelial Transition

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Acknowledgements

The research effort associated with this article was funded in part by the “Région Champagne-Ardenne”, the “Ligue Contre le Cancer (Comité de la Marne)”, the “Lions Club of Soissons”, “Un Euro contre le Cancer” and the “Fond National pour la Santé ACI 2004–2010 INCa (Cancéropôle Grand-Est project)”, the “Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique Médicale” (Belgium), the “Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique (F.R.S.-FNRS, Belgium)”, the Foundation against Cancer (foundation of public interest, Belgium), the “C.G.R.I.-F.N.R.S.-INSERM Coopération”, the “Fonds spéciaux de la Recherche” (University of Liège), the “Centre Anticancéreux près l’Université de Liège”, the “Fonds Léon Fredericq” (University of Liège), the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (BC0213201 and BC084667), the Victorian Breast Cancer Research Consortium, Cancer Council Victoria (#509295), and the National Breast Cancer Foundation (Australia).

AT is the recipient of an Australian Postgraduate Award. CG is a Senior Research Associate from the F.R.S.-FNRS (Belgium).

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  1. Laboratory of Tumor and Developmental Biology, Liège University, GIGA - Cancer, C.H.U. Sart-Tilman, Tour de Pathologie B23, 4000, Liège, Belgium

    Arnaud Bonnomet, Anne Brysse & Christine Gilles

  2. Unité INSERM UMR-S 903, Laboratoire Pol Bouin, IFR53, CHU Maison Blanche, Reims, France

    Arnaud Bonnomet & Myriam Polette

  3. St. Vincent’s Institute, Melbourne, Australia

    Anthony Tachsidis, Mark Waltham & Erik W. Thompson

  4. Department of Surgery, St. Vincent’s Hospital, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

    Anthony Tachsidis & Erik W. Thompson

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  1. Arnaud Bonnomet
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Correspondence to Christine Gilles.

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Bonnomet, A., Brysse, A., Tachsidis, A. et al. Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transitions and Circulating Tumor Cells. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 15, 261–273 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10911-010-9174-0

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