Figure 1.

The EMT process is induced by chronic intestinal inflammation and transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) stimulation. EMT drives the expression of transcription factors SNAIL, SLUG, TWIST, ZEB1, and ZEB2, leading to the disruption of intercellular junctions (decreased E-cadherin expression), apical-basal polarity loss, and enhanced cell motility due to cytoskeletal changes (upregulation of vimentin and α-SMA expression). EMT drives epithelial cells to acquire a fibroblast-like and myofibroblast-like phenotype, leading to increased production of ECM components, including collagens (I–VI and XVIII), glycoproteins, proteoglycans, glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), hyaluronic acid, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and their inhibitors (TIMPs).