Figure 5. Acute exposure to AS also induces the EMT-like phenotypical shift. (A) HT-29 cells were exposed to 0 or 15 nM arsenic for 0, 6, 12, and 24 h. Western blot was performed to determine the protein expression levels of E-cadherin, vimentin, MMP-3, MMP-9, β-catenin, and ZEB-1. Note that epithelial marker E-cadherin was inhibited by AS, whereas mesenchymal markers (vimentin, MMP-3, and MMP-9) were upregulated. (B) Quantitation of EMT-related proteins in (A), *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01.