TY - JOUR A2 - Matter, Karl AU - Gui, Ting AU - Sun, Yujing AU - Shimokado, Aiko AU - Muragaki, Yasuteru PY - 2012 DA - 2012/01/29 TI - The Roles of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Pathways in TGF-β-Induced Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition SP - 289243 VL - 2012 AB - The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway allows cells to interpret external signals and respond appropriately, especially during the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). EMT is an important process during embryonic development, fibrosis, and tumor progression in which epithelial cells acquire mesenchymal, fibroblast-like properties and show reduced intercellular adhesion and increased motility. TGF-β signaling is the first pathway to be described as an inducer of EMT, and its relationship with the Smad family is already well characterized. Studies of four members of the MAPK family in different biological systems have shown that the MAPK and TGF-β signaling pathways interact with each other and have a synergistic effect on the secretion of additional growth factors and cytokines that in turn promote EMT. In this paper, we present background on the regulation and function of MAPKs and their cascades, highlight the mechanisms of MAPK crosstalk with TGF-β signaling, and discuss the roles of MAPKs in EMT. SN - 2090-1739 UR - https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/289243 DO - 10.1155/2012/289243 JF - Journal of Signal Transduction PB - Hindawi Publishing Corporation KW - ER -