Insights into the mechanism of organ-specific cancer metastasis

Abstract

Lucas and colleagues nominate transmembrane serine protease type II (TMPRSS2) as an important player in the initiation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in prostate cancer. Cancer cells maintain androgen receptor-regulated cytoplasmic TMPRSS2 expression, which facilitates EMT invasion and metastasis in model systems through hepatocyte growth factor and c-MET signaling. In addition to providing a rationale for potentially targeting this organ-specific enabler of metastatic disease progression, this study also highlights the importance of understanding how organ/tissue-specifi c genes are co-opted in the context of cancer.