%0 Journal Article
%T ILK Expression in Colorectal Cancer Is Associated with EMT, Cancer Stem Cell Markers and Chemoresistance
%A CHAIDO SIRINIAN
%A DIMITRIOS TSOUMAS
%A EFSTATHIA GIANNOPOULOU
%A HARALABOS P KALOFONOS
%A IOANNIS MAROULIS
%A SOFIA NIKOU
%A SPYRIDON CHAMPERIS TSANIRAS
%A STAVROS TARAVIRAS
%A VASILIKI BRAVOU
%A VASSILIKI ZOLOTA
%J Archive of "Cancer Genomics & Proteomics".
%D 2018
%R 10.21873/cgp.20071
%X Background/Aim: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer stem cells (CSC) are critically implicated in cancer metastasis and chemoresistance. Herein, we investigated integrin-linked kinase (ILK)¡¯s role in human colon cancer (CRC) progression and chemoresistance in relation to EMT and CSC markers. Patients and Methods: Expression of ILK, EMT and CSC markers were evaluated by immunohistochemistry in 149 CRC samples. We also generated colon cancer cells resistant to 5-FU and oxaliplatin and studied the effect of ILK inhibition on drug response by MTT assay and on EMT and CSC markers¡¯ expression. Results: ILK expression in human CRC correlates with EMT and CSC markers and is associated with metastasis and chemoresistance. ILK inhibition increases sensitivity of resistant cells to 5-FU and oxaliplatin and reduces the levels of EMT and CSC markers in 5-FU resistant cells. Conclusion: ILK overexpression in human CRC associates with EMT and CSC traits, contributing to tumor progression and chemoresistance
%K ILK
%K EMT
%K chemotherapy
%K chemoresistance
%K colorectal cancer
%K cancer stem cells
%U https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5892607/