TWIST1 and cancer: EMT is directly orchestrated by several transcription factors (EMT-inducing transcription factors (EMT-TFs)), including zinc-finger proteins of the SNAIL superfamily (Snail, Slug and Smuc), zinc finger and E-box-binding proteins of the ZEB family (ZEB1 and ZEB2) and the Twist family of bHLH transcription factors (Twist1 and Twist2).54 These EMT-TFs can suppress E-cadherin transcription by directly binding to the E-cadherin promoter and coordinate the inhibition of epithelial genes and activation of mesenchymal genes to initiate EMT and promote cancer progression.55,56