VIM and cancer: First, we established an EMT model by treating MCF-7 cells with TGF-β1 because TGF-β1 is a potent inducer of EMT both during development and in cancer.31, 32, 33 In this model, the expression levels of Notch3 and E-cadherin exhibited TGF-β1 dose-dependent decreases, and the expression of vimentin exhibited a TGF-β1 dose-dependent increase.