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Transforming growth factor-β in tumour development.
Charles B Trelford1, Lina Dagnino1,2, Gianni M Di Guglielmo1
1Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences
|October 21, 2022
Summary
Transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) is crucial for development and tissue repair. Aberrant TGFβ signaling drives tumor progression, but targeting it in clinical trials faces challenges due to incomplete understanding.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology
- Cancer Biology
Background:
- Transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) is a vital cytokine regulating cell growth, apoptosis, immune function, and tissue repair.
- Dysregulated TGFβ signaling is linked to tumor progression and metastasis.
- Tumor cells exploit TGFβ to promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition, angiogenesis, immune suppression, and autophagy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review TGFβ signaling pathways.
- To explore the role of TGFβ in tumorigenesis.
- To examine the contribution of protein quality control pathways to TGFβ-driven tumor promotion.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of TGFβ signaling pathways.
- Analysis of TGFβ's role in tumor biology.
- Investigation of protein quality control mechanisms in TGFβ signaling.
Main Results:
- TGFβ signaling pathways are complex and multifaceted.
- TGFβ plays a significant role in multiple stages of tumor development.
- Protein quality control pathways can enhance tumor-promoting effects of TGFβ.
Conclusions:
- Despite therapeutic successes in models, clinical outcomes for TGFβ-targeted therapies are poor due to limited understanding.
- Further research into TGFβ biology and its interaction with protein quality control is needed for effective cancer treatments.
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