Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in colorectal cancer: Annexin A2 is caught in the crosshairs

Abstract

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a complex cellular pro- gram where cells transit between epithelial and mesenchymal phe- notypes. It is mainly characterized by the loss of apical-basal polarity,

disassembly or reorganization of cell-cell junctions and cytoskeleton.

Epithelial features are lost in favour of mesenchymal ones, increas- ing motility and invasiveness.1

However, EMT’s role in the meta- static cascade has been controversial. Innumerous articles indicate

EMT involvement in basal membrane rupture, intravasation, resist- ance to the shear stress in blood vessels and extravasation,2–4

but some researchers have already shown that EMT was not essential

for metastatic colonization.5,6 This might be explained by the multi- plicity of possible outcomes for a cell undergoing EMT. Pastushenko

and collaborators showed that there are several intermediate stages in this process that contribute to the formation of subpopulations

that differ in proliferation, invasion, plasticity and metastatic capa- bilities.7 This plasticity allows cells to undergo reversible changes

between epithelial and mesenchymal features adapting to diverse

hostile conditions.2 These properties make EMT-related proteins in- teresting markers and/or therapeutic targets to prevent metastasis.