Figure 3.

A schematic illustration of NOR1-FOXA1/HDAC2-SLUG regulatory network in the EMT and dedifferentiation process of NPC. High levels of NOR1 expression lead to optimal expression of pioneering factor FOXA1, which exhibit inhibitory effect on Slug promoter activity. Expression of also lead to increase of histone deacetylase HDAC2 level in NPC cells, which cooperate with FOXA1 to suppress slug transcription via de-acetylation of slug associated H3K9. Repression of slug eventually resulted decrease of vimentin but increase of epithelial keratins, thus lead to inhibition of EMT and dedifferentiaon of NPC cells.