Figure 9. Schematic representation of Gαi2–Src-HIF1α nexus in the regulation of EMT in ovarian cancer cells.

Stimulation of LPA receptors leads to the activation of Gαi2 and the subsequent activation of Src, as we have shown previously [8, 15]. Src-dependent signaling, in turn, stimulates the upregulation and activation of HIF1α. HIF1α, once activated, stimulates the expression and resultant activation of Slug and other EMT-specific factors including N-cadherin, thereby promoting EMT and associated invasive migration of cancer cells.