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Updated: May 19, 2026

Studying TGF-β Signaling and TGF-β-induced Epithelial-to-mesenchymal Transition in Breast Cancer and Normal Cells
06:54

Studying TGF-β Signaling and TGF-β-induced Epithelial-to-mesenchymal Transition in Breast Cancer and Normal Cells

Published on: October 27, 2020

TGF-β - an excellent servant but a bad master

Lenka Kubiczkova1, Lenka Sedlarikova, Roman Hajek

  • 1Babak Myeloma Group, Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, 625 00, Czech Republic.

Journal of Translational Medicine
|September 5, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling is crucial for tissue homeostasis but can become oncogenic when disrupted in cancer. This review details TGF-β pathway dysregulation in various human malignancies.

Area of Science:

  • Cellular Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • The transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) family regulates critical cellular processes including development and tissue homeostasis.
  • Decades of research have elucidated key aspects of TGF-β signal transduction, involving receptor activation, SMAD protein phosphorylation, and gene expression regulation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current understanding of TGF-β signaling pathways.
  • To explore the mechanisms of TGF-β pathway impairment in solid tumors and hematological malignancies.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of TGF-β signaling mechanisms.
  • Analysis of TGF-β pathway dysregulation in cancer.

Main Results:

  • TGF-β acts as a tumor suppressor by inhibiting cell proliferation.
  • In cancer cells, TGF-β signaling can be altered, leading to an oncogenic role.
  • Dysregulation of the TGF-β pathway is implicated in numerous human diseases, including various cancers.

Conclusions:

  • The TGF-β pathway is a complex network with a dual role in cancer, acting as both a tumor suppressor and an oncogenic factor depending on the cellular context.
  • Understanding the mechanisms of TGF-β pathway impairment is vital for developing targeted cancer therapies.

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