The polycomb group proteins functions in epithelial to mesenchymal transition in lung cancer.

Polycomb group proteins (PcG) play important roles in the maintenance of DNA sequencing and multi-dimensional organization of genome. The main PcG complexes are consisted of Polycomb repressive complex 1 and 2, of which the diversity is dependent upon target gene sequences and functions. The present review initially explores the mechanism-based relationship and functional roles of PcG proteins in the interplay between epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) and chromatin dynamics in lung cancer. PcG proteins regulate the target genes by modifying histone and chromosome conformation and influencing chromatin looping and long-range interactions between topologically associating domains (TADs). PcG proteins regulate target genes expression and long-distance interactions between TADs in nucleus in the development of EMT and lung cancer. PcG plays decisive regulatory roles in epithelial differentiation and transition or signaling and activation of oncogenes, by promoting the isoforms at the transcriptional levels, to drive EMT to greater invasive ability and carcinogenesis. With the development of single cell systems biology and gene editing, PcG roles in 3D genome organization, heterogeneity, and EMT will be furthermore understood at single cell levels.