What Role Does the Tumor Microenvironment Play in EMT?
The tumor microenvironment (TME) significantly influences EMT. Components of the TME, including cancer-associated fibroblasts, immune cells, and extracellular matrix (ECM), secrete cytokines and growth factors that activate EMT-related pathways. Hypoxia within the TME can also induce EMT through the stabilization of HIF-1α, promoting a more aggressive cancer phenotype. Thus, targeting the TME offers a potential therapeutic strategy to inhibit EMT and cancer metastasis.
