IMR Press / FBL / Volume 25 / Issue 5 / DOI: 10.2741/4844

Frontiers in Bioscience-Landmark (FBL) is published by IMR Press from Volume 26 Issue 5 (2021). Previous articles were published by another publisher on a subscription basis, and they are hosted by IMR Press on imrpress.com as a courtesy and upon agreement with Frontiers in Bioscience.

Review
EMT in breast cancer metastasis: an interplay of microRNAs, signaling pathways and circulating tumor cells
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1 Cancer Biology, CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, (CCMB) Uppal Road, Hyderabad, 500007, Telangana, India
Send correspondence to: Lekha Dinesh Kumar, Principal Scientist, E108, Project Leader, Cancer Biology, Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology, Habshiguda, Uppal Road, Hyderabad 50007, Telangana, Tel: 91-40-2719 2933, 2576, Fax:91-40-27160310,311, E-mail: lekha@ccmb.res.in
Front. Biosci. (Landmark Ed) 2020, 25(5), 979–1010; https://doi.org/10.2741/4844
Published: 1 March 2020
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Elucidation of exosomes role in metastasis)
Abstract

Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) is a biological process characterized by the transition from immotile epithelial cells to motile mesenchymal cells. Though shown to be implicated in many biological processes, it has also been identified to enhance migration and invasion of cancer cells leading to metastasis. A class of microRNAs called “oncomiRs” plays a significant role in the regulation of malignant transformation and metastasis. In this review, the ability of different signaling pathways in controlling EMT through well-defined regulatory networks, and the role exerted by oncomiRs in regulating the specific signaling pathways like TGF-β, Wnt, Notch and Hedgehog in modulating breast cancer metastasis have been discussed with updated information. Further, this review focuses on the significance of up and down regulated microRNAs in the pathogenesis and progression of breast cancer and how such microRNAs could be treated as potential therapeutic targets to circumvent cancer. As a prospective strategy, we highlight the importance of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and their derived microRNAs as prognostic indicators and cancer therapy monitoring tools.

Keywords
miRNAs
EMT
breast cancer
CTC
signaling
Review
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