上皮细胞-间充质转化（EMT）表现为上皮细胞失去上皮特征，并获得间充质特性。在正常的生物体内，EMT过程在胚胎发育过程和损伤修复过程中发挥关键性的作用。在病理状态，EMT被认为是纤维化疾病和肿瘤转移的一个重要成因。目前EMT的发生以及逆转的精确机制尚不清楚，TGF-β被认为是诱导EMT最重要的因子。微管蛋白作为细胞骨架的重要组成部分，不仅参与了细胞分裂的整个过程，而且决定了细胞各个时期的细胞形态以及结构。α-微管蛋白的乙酰化形式已证实是微管蛋白结构稳定的一种状态,对细胞的形态以及迁移都起着重要作用。本课题计划在细胞水平上证实α-微管蛋白乙酰化与TGF-β介导的EMT过程的关系。明确α-微管蛋白乙酰化是否参与到EMT过程中，并深入讨论其机制。本研究将会解释α-微管蛋白乙酰化与EMT发生发展的关系以及信号通路，为肿瘤或纤维化疾病的治疗提供一种新的思路和药物作用新靶点。

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT) is a process by which fully differentiated epithelial cells undergo a phenotypic conversion and assume a mesenchymal cell phenotype. In physiological states, the EMT is associated with wound healing and tissue regeneration, and in pathological states, it is associated with organ fibrosis and tumor metastasis. The mechanism of EMT is still unknown, but TGF-β is considered as one of the most important factors to induce EMT.Microtubules are a component of the cytoskeleton that is not only involved in cell division, but that also contributes to many features of cytosplasm structuration in interphase cells, including by organizing and compartmentalizing certain signalling pathways. Acetylated α-tubulin was found to be consecutive to MT stabilization. It plays an important role of cell morphology and migration. Our project seeks to elucidate the mechanism and function of acetylated α-tubulin underlying TGF-β induced EMT. We wish to determide if acetylated α-tubulin involved in EMT. This study will not only explain the relationship among TGF-β, acetylated α-tubulin and EMT, but also provide insights into potential therapeutics for prevention and treatment of disease such as cancer and fibrosis.