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Role of transforming growth factor β in cancer microenvironment

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  • Molecular Targets in Oncology
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Abstract

Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) family members are polypeptidic cytokines with pleiotropic physiological properties. In relation to cancer, TGF-β exerts a dual tumour-suppressive and oncogenic effect, which is largely dependent on microenvironment stimuli. After activation of TGF-β signalling, two pathways can be activated: the canonical one through the mammalian Smad family or the non-canonical one activating, among others, the cellular mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling downstream, which interacts with Smad signalling. During tumorigenesis, cells of many cancer types often lose their response to the tumour-suppressive effects of TGF-β, which, in turn, has the opposite effect, acting as an autocrine tumour-promoting factor. In this review, we summarise the current knowledge about this intriguing cytokine, with special emphasis on its immunosuppressive actions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Servicio de Oncología Médica, Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Avda. Dr. Fedriani, s/n, ES-41009, Sevilla, Spain

    Luis de la Cruz-Merino, Fernando Henao-Carrasco, Teresa García-Manrique & Manuel Codes-Manuel de Villena

  2. Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain

    Pedro M. Fernández-Salguero

Authors
  1. Luis de la Cruz-Merino
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  2. Fernando Henao-Carrasco
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  3. Teresa García-Manrique
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  4. Pedro M. Fernández-Salguero
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  5. Manuel Codes-Manuel de Villena
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Correspondence to Luis de la Cruz-Merino.

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Supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Pfizer

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de la Cruz-Merino, L., Henao-Carrasco, F., García-Manrique, T. et al. Role of transforming growth factor β in cancer microenvironment. Clin Transl Oncol 11, 715–720 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-009-0433-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-009-0433-8

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