The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition transcription factor ZEB1 is involved in metastasis. It is now shown to regulate the tumour-initiating capacity of pancreatic and colorectal cancer cells, through the repression of the stemness-inhibiting miR200s, which are found to inhibit the polycomb repressor Bmi-1.
- Ulrich Wellner
- Jörg Schubert
- Thomas Brabletz