The role of PKCtheta in Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transistion

Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is activated during cancer invasion and metastasis, enriches for cancer stem cells (CSCs), and contributes to therapeutic resistance and disease recurrence. Signal transduction kinases play a pivotal role as chromatin-anchored proteins in eukaryotes. Here we report for the first time that protein kinase C-theta (PKC-θ) regulates EMT by acting as a critical chromatin-anchored switch for inducible genes. Genome-wide transcriptome analysis identifies a unique cohort of inducible PKC-θ-sensitive genes in MCF7 cells stimulated with phorbol ester. MCF7 Cells treated with mock or siRNA against PKCtheta were left unstimulated or stimulated with PMA. No replicates.