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PMID: 20049734 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Review

Inflammation and EMT: an alliance towards organ fibrosis and cancer progression.

EMBO molecular medicine ·Vol. 1 ·No. 6-7 ·2009-09-00 ·Pages 303-14

López-Novoa JM, Nieto MA

Abstract

Recent advances in our understanding of the molecular pathways that govern the association of inflammation with organ fibrosis and cancer point to the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) as the common link in the progression of these devastating diseases. The EMT is a crucial process in the development of different tissues in the embryo and its reactivation in the adult may be regarded as a physiological attempt to control inflammatory responses and to 'heal' damaged tissue. However, in pathological contexts such as in tumours or during the development of organ fibrosis, this healing response adopts a sinister nature, steering these diseases towards metastasis and organ failure. Importantly, the chronic inflammatory microenvironment common to fibrotic and cancer cells emerges as a decisive factor in the induction of the pathological EMT.

MeSH Terms
Animals Disease Progression Fibrosis/etiology,immunology,pathology Humans Inflammation/complications,immunology,pathology Neoplasms/etiology,immunology,pathology Neoplastic Processes Transforming Growth Factor beta1/immunology
Chemicals
Transforming Growth Factor beta1
Authors & Affiliations
2 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
López-Novoa Jose Miguel
Departamento de Fisiología y Farmacología, Universidad de Salamanca, Edificio Departamental, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, Salamanca, Spain.
Nieto M Angela
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Article Info
Journal
EMBO molecular medicine
Abbr.
EMBO Mol Med
ISSN
1757-4684
DOI
10.1002/emmm.200900043
Published
2009-09-00
Pages
303-14
Language
English
Region
England
NLM ID
101487380
PMCID
PMC3378143
Subset
IM
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1002/emmm.200900043 PMC Full Text View journal details
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