The mechanisms of colorectal cancer cell mesenchymal–epithelial transition induced by hepatocyte exosome-derived miR-203a-3p

• Main Authors: Heyang Xu, MD, Yongliang Huang, MD, Qiusheng Lan, MD, Yang Zhang, MD, Yujie Zeng, PhD, Tao Zhang, BA, Chisheng Chen, MD, Pengwei Su, BA, Ziqiang Chu, BA, Wei Lai, MD, Zhonghua Chu, MD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Health 2018-09-01
• Series: Journal of Bio-X Research
• Online Access: http://journals.lww.com/10.1097/JBR.0000000000000013

Abstract. Phosphatase of regenerating liver 3 (PRL3) promotes colorectal cancer (CRC) metastasis by inducing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET), the opposite of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, has been proposed as a mechanism for the establishment of metastatic neoplasms. However, the molecular mechanism of MET remains unclear. Here, we show that miR-203a-3p derived from hepatocyte exosomes inhibits Src expression, reduces epidermal growth factor receptor activity and downstream signaling pathways, and increases E-cadherin expression, which is a typical mesenchymal cell marker of MET, in CRC cells. These results show the important role of epidermal growth factor receptor in CRC cell MET.