Zusammenfassung
Die maligne Progression gynäkologischer Tumoren wird wesentlich durch ihr Invasions-
und Metastasierungsverhalten bestimmt. Es bedarf verschiedener Veränderungen auf molekularer
und zellulärer Ebene, damit sich Krebszellen aus dem epithelialen Zellverband lösen
und in die Umgebung invadieren bzw. metastasieren können. Für beide Prozesse müssen
Tumorzellen die Fähigkeit erwerben, von einem epithelialen in einen mesenchymalen
Zustand überzugehen, einen Vorgang, den man als epithelial-zu-mesenchymale Transition
(EMT) bezeichnet. In dieser Arbeit beschreiben wir die Bedeutung der EMT für gynäkologische
Karzinome anhand aktueller Forschungsergebnisse. In den hier betrachteten Malignomen
– Mamma-, Ovarial- und Zervixkarzinom – wurde eine Vielzahl von EMT-typischen Veränderungen
beschrieben. Dabei waren der Verlust epithelialer Marker (E-Cadherin, Zytokeratine)
und die Zunahme mesenchymaler Marker (z. B. N-Cadherin, Vimentin) charakteristisch.
Auch Transkriptionsfaktoren der EMT wie Snail und Twist wurden in verschiedenen Tumorentitäten
nachgewiesen. Als wesentliche Stimuli der EMT gelten Wachstumsfaktoren (z. B. TGF-β),
WNT- und Notch-Signaling sowie Tumorhypoxie. Typische EMT-Veränderungen lassen sich
in gynäkologischen Malignomen nachweisen und man muss davon ausgehen, dass auch in
diesen Karzinomen Invasions- und Metastasierungsvorgänge – und damit die maligne Progression
– durch EMT getriggert werden. Aus der genauen Analyse der EMT lassen sich neue molekulare
Targets für eine gezielte Tumortherapie identifizieren.
Abstract
The malignant progression of gynecologic tumors is determined by their potential for
invasion and metastasis. Specifically, epithelial tumor cells need to leave the primary
tumor mass to invade the environment and/or metastasize to distant regions. To do
so, these tumor cells undergo distinct changes from an epithelial to a mesenchymal
phenotype, a process called epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). In this article,
we review the significance of EMT-related mechanisms in gynecologic malignancies.
For the cancers considered here – breast, ovarian and cervical carcinomas – a multitude
of EMT events have been described, including the loss of epithelial markers (E-cadherin,
cytokeratines) and an increase in mesenchymal markers (e.g. N-cadherin, vimentin).
In addition, the expression of the EMT transcription factors Snail and Twist has been
observed in different malignancies. EMT can be induced by several stimuli, e.g. growth
factors, WNT and notch signaling as well as tumor hypoxia, a common feature of solid
tumors. Characteristic EMT-related changes can be detected in gynecologic cancers,
suggesting a role for EMT in triggering invasion, metastasis and, therefore, malignant
progression in these tumor entities. Further investigation of EMT pathways will result
in the identification of new targets for tailored cancer therapies.
Schlüsselwörter
epithelial‐zu‐mesenchymale Transition - Hypoxie - Mammakarzinom - Zervixkarzinom -
Ovarialkarzinom
Key words
epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition - hypoxia - breast cancer - cervical cancer -
ovarian cancer
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PD Dr. Cornelia Leo
Universitätsspital Zürich
Klinik für Gynäkologie
Frauenklinikstraße 10
CH-8091 Zürich
Schweiz
Email: cornelia.leo@usz.ch