The epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) is one step in the process through which carcinoma cells metastasize by gaining the cellular mobility associated with mesenchymal cells. This work examines the dual influence of the TGF-β pathway and intercellular contact on the activation of EMT in colon (SW480) and breast (MCF7) carcinoma cells. While the SW480 population revealed an intermediate state between the epithelial and mesenchymal states, the MC7 cells exhibited highly adhesive behavior. However, for both cell lines, an exogenous TGF-β signal and a reduction in cellular confluence can push a subgroup of the population towards the mesenchymal phenotype. Together, these results highlight that, while EMT is induced by the synergy of multiple signals, this activation varies across cell types.

中文翻译：

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细胞接触和TGF-β信号传导在上皮间质转化（EMT）激活中的作用。

上皮间质转化（EMT）是癌细胞通过获得与间质细胞相关的细胞迁移而转移的过程中的一个步骤。这项工作研究了TGF-β途径和细胞间接触对结肠（SW480）和乳腺癌（MCF7）癌细胞中EMT活化的双重影响。虽然SW480群体显示出上皮状态和间质状态之间的中间状态，但MC7细胞表现出高度粘附性。然而，对于这两种细胞系，外源性TGF-β信号和细胞汇合的减少都可以将人群的一个亚组推向间质表型。总之，这些结果表明，尽管EMT由多种信号的协同作用诱导，但这种激活随细胞类型的不同而不同。