The role of transforming growth factor-beta in primary brain tumors.
Dramatic therapeutic benefits of targeting specific signal transduction pathways in some cancers have pushed rational molecular targeting to the forefront of cutting-edge cancer therapy. The identification and targeting of pathways critical to the phenotype of cancers offers new hope in the treatment of many patients. Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) is a multifunctional cytokine that is frequently expressed in multiple types of malignant brain tumors. TGF-beta exerts a complex set of effects in cancers with an early tumor suppressive effect through growth inhibition but later effects in cancer development that are tumorigenic - including increased tumor cell motility and invasion, induction of angiogenesis, and immune suppression. Early preclinical and clinical studies have shown promise of anti-TGF-beta strategies in the treatment of malignant gliomas suggesting TGF-beta may be a potential new therapeutic target in neuro-oncology.
Rich
Jeremy N
JN
Department of Medicine, Division of Neurology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA. rich0001@mc.duke.edu
D000818:Animals; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000502:physiology*
D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta