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BMC Cancer
Published in: BMC Cancer 1/2023

Open Access 01-12-2023 | Doxycycline | Research

Single-copy Snail upregulation causes partial epithelial-mesenchymal transition in colon cancer cells

Authors: Fatima Junaid, Goran Tomic, Richard Kemp, Doug J. Winton

Published in: BMC Cancer | Issue 1/2023

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Abstract

Background

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an embryonic programme implicated in cancer stem cells, metastasis and therapeutic resistance. Its role in cancer progression remains controversial because the transition can be partial or complete in different models and contexts.

Methods

Using human colon cancer DLD-1 cells, we engineered a cell line with a single-copy of Snail that was doxycycline-inducible and compared it to existing EMT models in DLD-1. The effect of Snail upregulation was characterised functionally, morphologically, and by transcriptional profiling and protein expression.

Results

Induction with doxycycline increased Snail expression to a level similar to that observed in cancer cell lines spontaneously expressing Snail and results in partial EMT. In comparison, higher levels of overexpression arising from introduction of episomal-Snail, results in complete EMT. DLD-1 cells with partial EMT show chemoresistance in vitro, increased tumour growth in vivo and decreased apoptosis.

Conclusions

These findings highlight that the amount of bioavailable Snail can dictate phenotypic outcome and that partial EMT may be a preferred outcome of models operating within a natural range of Snail overexpression.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Single-copy Snail upregulation causes partial epithelial-mesenchymal transition in colon cancer cells
Authors
Fatima Junaid
Goran Tomic
Richard Kemp
Doug J. Winton
Publication date
01-12-2023
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Cancer / Issue 1/2023
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2407
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-023-10581-3

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