A novel EMT-selective small molecule induces ER stress

Carcinoma cells can acquire key malignant traits by reprogramming their differentiation state via an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Cancer cells that undergo EMT become invasive and resist a wide range of therapies including most chemotherapy drugs and radiation. Such cells are also able to efficiently seed primary and metastatic tumors, making them functionally indistinguishable from tumor-initiating or cancer stem-like cells (TICs or CSCs). Therefore, there is significant interest in finding vulnerabilities of cancer cells that have undergone EMT.

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Feng YX, Sokol ES, Del Vecchio CA, Sanduja S, Claessen JH, Proia TA, Jin DX, Reinhardt F, Ploegh HL, Wang Q, Gupta PB