Activation of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program is a critical mechanism for initiating cancer progression and migration. Colorectal cancers contain many genetic and epigenetic alt Show more
Activation of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program is a critical mechanism for initiating cancer progression and migration. Colorectal cancers contain many genetic and epigenetic alterations that can contribute to EMT. Mutations activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway are observed in >40% of patients with colorectal cancer contributing to increased invasion and metastasis. Little is known about how oncogenic signaling pathways such as PI3K/AKT synergize with chromatin modifiers to activate the EMT program. Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) is a chromatin-modifying enzyme that is overexpressed in colorectal cancer and enhances cell migration. In this study, we determine that LSD1 expression is significantly elevated in patients with colorectal cancer with mutation of the catalytic subunit of PI3K, Show less