Current Progress of EMT: A New Direction of Targeted Therapy for Colorectal Cancer with Invasion and Metastasis
Zhuomin Tan,
Wenyan Sun,
Ya Li,
Xingmeng Jiao,
Mingliang Zhu,
Junfei Zhang,
Chen Qing,
Yinnong Jia
Affiliations
Zhuomin Tan
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Pharmacology for Natural Products, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
Wenyan Sun
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Pharmacology for Natural Products, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
Ya Li
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Pharmacology for Natural Products, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
Xingmeng Jiao
College of Chinese Medicine, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming 650500, China
Mingliang Zhu
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Pharmacology for Natural Products, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
Junfei Zhang
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Pharmacology for Natural Products, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
Chen Qing
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Pharmacology for Natural Products, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
Yinnong Jia
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Pharmacology for Natural Products, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignant tumor with a high frequency of recurrence and metastasis, which are the major causes of death in patients. The prerequisite for the invasion and metastasis is the strong mobility of CRC cells to transport far away from the original site to the distant organs and tissues, where they settle down and proliferate. It was reported that the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is involved in the occurrence and development of various tumors in the entire process of tumor invasion and metastasis. Therefore, as a vital factor for the biological characteristics of tumor cells, EMT markers may serve as prognostic predictors and potential therapeutic targets in CRC. This article mainly reviews the current status of CRC with metastasis, the studies of EMT, the possible relationship of EMT with CRC, as well as the potential targeted therapy.
