Basics of TGF-beta and pancreatic cancer.
Pancreatic cancer is the 4th leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. The number of diagnoses per year equals the number of deaths per year, making it the deadliest of all malignancies. Modern advances and breakthroughs in molecular oncology have allowed researchers to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the pathogenesis of this disease. The transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) pathway is one of the signaling systems that has been identified as a major contributor. TGF-beta plays a paradoxical role as both a tumor suppressor and a tumor promoter in pancreatic cancer. The purpose of this review is to provide the practicing clinician a thorough review of this molecule and its associated signaling partners in the context of its duplicitous role and behavior in patients with pancreatic cancer.
Truty
Mark J
MJ
Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
Urrutia
Raul
R
D000818:Animals; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000378:metabolism; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D053779:Latent TGF-beta Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D010179:Pancreas / Q000502:physiology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051785:Smad Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000502:physiology
D002273:Carcinogens; D053779:Latent TGF-beta Binding Proteins; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta; D051785:Smad Proteins; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins