Links between cancer stem cells and epithelial– mesenchymal transition

Abstract

Sha-sha Wang,1,2 Jian Jiang,1,2 Xin-hua Liang,1,2 Ya-ling Tang1,3 1State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, 2Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 3Department of Oral Pathology, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People’s Republic of China Abstract: The epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been reported to be an important program that is often activated during the process of cancer invasion and metastasis. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) that can initiate and maintain cancer are also involved in invasion and metastasis of cancer. Recently, insights into the molecular mechanisms and functional features of mesenchymal cells have been greatly colored by findings that some of them have been endowed with the self-renewal trait associated with normal tissue stem cells and CSCs. Among cancer cells experiencing EMT, only some of the most competent CSCs will succeed in planting in another organ. In this paper, we review the molecular mechanism behind the link of EMT and CSCs in cancer progression. Keywords: epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), EMT regulators, cancer stem cells (CSCs), miRNAs, metastasis