Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process during which epithelial cells lose epithelial characteristics and gain mesenchymal features. Here, we used several cell models to study migratory activity and redistribution of cell–cell adhesion proteins in cells in different EMT states: EGF-induced EMT of epithelial IAR-20 cells; IAR-6-1 cells with a hybrid epithelial–mesenchymal phenotype; and their more mesenchymal derivatives, IAR-6-1-DNE cells lacking adherens junctions. In migrating cells, the cell–cell adhesion protein α-catenin accumulated at the leading edges along with ArpC2/p34 and α-actinin. Suppression of α-catenin shifted cell morphology from fibroblast-like to discoid and attenuated cell migration. Expression of exogenous α-catenin in MDA-MB-468 cells devoid of α-catenin drastically increased their migratory capabilities. The Y654 phosphorylated form of β-catenin was detected at integrin adhesion complexes (IACs). Co-immunoprecipitation studies indicated that α-catenin and pY654-β-catenin were associated with IAC proteins: vinculin, zyxin, and α-actinin. Taken together, these data suggest that in cells undergoing EMT, catenins not participating in assembly of adherens junctions may affect cell migration.

The development of an antitumor vaccine based on autologous dendritic cells (DCs) for bladder cancer treatment is extremely relevant today due to the proven high immunological potency of this type of tumor. Vaccination with DCs-based drugs as a monotherapy or in combination with other methods of treatment has shown to be effective in cancer therapy. The vaccine administration is considered to be safe, the associated side effects are insignificant and can be characterized as undesirable phenomena of 1st or 2nd degree. There are a number of issues that arise while creating DCs vaccines that need to be carefully resolved. Among them, the problem of selecting potential targets for the vaccine treatment, the ways to enhance the potency of the vaccine, and the selection of technology for obtaining a sufficient number of functional DCs should be specifically mentioned. The review focuses on the use of autoantigen or alloantibody material for the activation of DCs, and the results of experimental and clinical studies of DCs vaccines in bladder cancer.

Introduction. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is the major driver of invasion and metastasis of cancer cells. The hallmarks of EMT are disruption of stable cell-cell adhesion and acquisition of a migratory phenotype by epithelial cells. Aim. To study of migratory activity and intracellular distribution of cell-cell adhesion proteins, actin cytoskeleton and vimentin intermediate filaments in primary cultures of high grade serous ovarian cancer obtained from clinical samples using correlative live cell imaging/immunofluorescence microscopy. Materials and methods. Using correlative live cell imaging/immunofluorescence microscopy, we studied cell migration and intracellular distribution of cell-cell adhesion proteins, actin cytoskeleton structures and vimentin intermediate filaments. Results. In primary cultures of high grade serous ovarian cancer many traits of incomplete EMT were observed, namely: dramatic remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton, reorganization of adherens junctions with retention of E-cadherin expression in the majority of samples, expression of mesenchymal markers such as vimentin and N-cadherin, and enhanced migratory activity. Different cell populations exhibited heterogeneous levels of EMT markers, for example, a prominent vimentin intermediate filament network was detected in actively migrating cancer cells. Conclusion. High grade serous ovarian cancer cells with enhanced migration potential undergo incomplete EMT which is the optimal choice for promoting invasion and metastasis.