EMT transcription factor ZEB1 regulates the epigenetic repression of the miRNA-141/200c cluster during EMT in breast cancer

Objectives: ZEB1 has a central role during epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) repressing several genes like the miR-200 family of miRNAs. We previously identified miR-200c and miR-141, two members of that family, as being silenced also by DNA methylation on mesenchymal-like breast cancer cells. Since it is not known how or if these two repressive mechanisms (ZEB1 and DNA methylation) coordinate to silence the miR-200c/141 promoter we addressed the possible mechanisms of action of ZEB1 on this locus. Materials and methods: For this purpose we established a MET (mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition) model…