Abstract

Abstract Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a cellular differentiation process whereby epithelial cells lose epithelial features and acquire mesenchymal, fibroblast-like properties, leading to reduced cell-cell contacts and increased motility. EMT is a fundamental biological process required for normal embryonic development, but may be co-opted by malignant epithelial tumors to facilitate metastatic spread. A known driver of EMT is the TGF-β superfamily of growth factor ligands, which elicit receptor-mediated responses in cells, primarily via TGF-β/SMAD signaling pathways. In these pathways, receptor-mediated SMAD (R-SMAD) proteins serve as the primary downstream effector molecules, the activities of which are regulated through receptor-mediated phosphorylation. The magnitude and duration of ligand-induced receptor activation influences the level of SMAD phosphorylation, which in turn influences the magnitude of the downstream cellular response(s). In this study, we describe high-throughput methods to quantitatively evaluate the biochemical and cellular responses to TGF-β/SMAD pathway activation in a cellular model of TGF-β-induced EMT. Effects of pathway activation are examined at different levels of biological complexity (biochemical, cellular, and multicellular), using 2D and 3D (spheroid) models. Collectively, these approaches enable a comprehensive evaluation of TGF-β/SMAD pathway activation that is amenable to high-throughput analysis platforms. Citation Format: Antony W. Wood, Ernest Heimsath. Quantitative evaluation of biomarkers for TGF-β-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in biochemical, cellular, and 3D spheroid model systems [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 204.

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