Epithelial-mesenchymal transition and metastatic bladder cancer profile under vinflunine treatment.

e22021 Background: Given the role of vinflunine (VFL) in the microtubule dynamics and the link between microtubules and cell adhesions through cadherins, we have investigated the possible influence of VFL on adherens junctions through its interaction with microtubules. We have studied the implication of VFL on the reversion of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in bladder transitional cell carcinoma and explored a possible novel molecular mechanism. Methods: Four human bladder transitional carcinoma cell lines were used to carry out the following experimental procedure: Cytotoxicity assay by using MTT assay, qRTPCR to analyze mRNA markers of the EMT, Western blotting using specific antibodies for EMT markers, and immunofluorescence images, analyzed by epifluorescence microscopy. Results: Cell growth reduction was detected in human bladder carcinoma cells under VFL treatment compared to control. VFL induces mesenchymal to epithelial phenotype and modulates the EMT markers: E-cadherin and Cytokeratin-1...