Role of Vimentin in cancer and its expression on the surface of pancreatic tumor cells with epithelial mesenchymal transition.

Aakarshan Raina

Volume : IX, Issue : VIII, August - 2020

Role of Vimentin in cancer and its expression on the surface of pancreatic tumor cells with epithelial mesenchymal transition.

Aakarshan Raina

Abstract :

Vimentin is widely expressed and highly conserved and is constitutively expressed in mesenchymal cells. Because of this, Vimentin is often used as a marker of mesenchymally–derived cells or cells undergoing an epithelial–to–mesenchymal transition (EMT) during both normal development and metastatic progression. Increased vimentin expression has been observed in various cancers including the pancreatic tumor. Vimentin�s over–expression in cancer correlates well with increased tumor growth . Vimentin has an importance as a marker for epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). cells undergoing EMT appear to acquire stem–like features, indicating the crucial role of EMT in CSC generation. CSCs, a small subgroup of tumorigenic cells within tumors, can self–renew, differentiate, survive under stress, and metastasize. Its over–expression in a large number of cancers and its role in mediating various tumorigenic events, vimentin serves as an attractive target for cancer therapy. Although EMT is associated with several tumorigenic events, vimentin�s role in the underlying events mediating these processes remains unknown. By virtue of its overexpression in cancer and its association with tumor growth and metastasis, vimentin serves as an attractive potential target for cancer therapy. In this review we summarize the role of vimentin in cancer and its expression on the surface of pancreatic tumor cells with mesenchymal transition.