Abstract |
The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has a crucial role in normal and disease processes including tumor progression. In this study, we first classified epithelial-like and mesenchymal-like oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines based on expression profiles of typical EMT-related genes using a panel of 18 OSCC cell lines. Then, we performed methylation-based and expression-based analyses of components of the Wnt signaling pathway, and identified WNT7A and WNT10A as genes silenced by mesenchymal-specific DNA hypermethylation in OSCCs. A significant association was revealed between some clinicopathological findings and the DNA methylation status of WNT7A (normal vs tumor, P=0.007; T1-2 vs T3-4, P=0.040; I-III vs IV, P=0.016) and WNT10A (N0-N1 vs N2-N3, P=0.046) in the advanced stages of OSCC. Moreover, we found that E-cadherin expression in cancer cells may be positively regulated by WNT7A, whose expression is negatively regulated by mesenchymal-specific DNA hypermethylation or ZEB1 in mesenchymal-like OSCC cells. Our findings indicate that epithelial-specific gene silencing through mesenchymal-specific DNA hypermethylation may stabilize the phenotypic plasticity of cancer cells during EMT/MET.
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Authors | Y Kurasawa, K Kozaki, A Pimkhaokham, T Muramatsu, H Ono, T Ishihara, N Uzawa, I Imoto, T Amagasa, J Inazawa |
Journal | Oncogene
(Oncogene)
Vol. 31
Issue 15
Pg. 1963-74
(Apr 12 2012)
ISSN: 1476-5594 [Electronic] England |
PMID | 21874048
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
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Chemical References |
- WNT10A protein, human
- WNT7A protein, human
- Wnt Proteins
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Topics |
- Adult
- Aged
- Aged, 80 and over
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell
(genetics)
- Cell Line, Tumor
- DNA Methylation
- Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
- Female
- Gene Silencing
- Humans
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Mouth Neoplasms
(genetics)
- Phenotype
- Wnt Proteins
(genetics)
- Wnt Signaling Pathway
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