Activation of LINE-1 Retrotransposon Increases the Risk of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Metastasis in Epithelial Cancer

Current Molecular Medicine
Danny RangasamyP G Board

Abstract

Epithelial cancers comprise 80-90% of human cancers. During the process of cancer progression, cells lose their epithelial characteristics and acquire stem-like mesenchymal features that are resistant to chemotherapy. This process, termed the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), plays a critical role in the development of metastases. Because of the unique migratory and invasive properties of cells undergoing the EMT, therapeutic control of the EMT offers great hope and new opportunities for treating cancer. In recent years, a plethora of genes and noncoding RNAs, including miRNAs, have been linked to the EMT and the acquisition of stem cell-like properties. Despite these advances, questions remain unanswered about the molecular processes underlying such a cellular transition. In this article, we discuss how expression of the normally repressed LINE-1 (or L1) retrotransposons activates the process of EMT and the development of metastases. L1 is rarely expressed in differentiated stem cells or adult somatic tissues. However, its expression is widespread in almost all epithelial cancers and in stem cells in their undifferentiated state, suggesting a link between L1 activity and the proliferative and metastatic behaviour of can...Continue Reading

Citations

Jan 7, 2016·Frontiers in Chemistry·Jacqueline R Kemp, Michelle S Longworth
Aug 16, 2016·Mobile DNA·John L Goodier
Jun 14, 2018·Aging and Disease·Sha LuZhifen Zhang
Feb 6, 2019·International Journal of Molecular Sciences·Tomoyuki Honda, Md Arifur Rahman
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Methods Mentioned

BETA
immunoprecipitation
nuclear translocation
xenograft

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