Role of transforming growth factor beta in cancer microenvironment.
Transforming growth factor Beta (TGF-Beta) family members are polypeptidic cytokines with pleiotropic physiological properties. In relation to cancer, TGF-Beta exerts a dual tumour-suppressive and oncogenic effect, which is largely dependent on microenvironment stimuli. After activation of TGF-Beta 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-Beta, 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.
de la Cruz-Merino
Luis
L
Servicio de Oncología Médica, Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Sevilla, Spain. lucme12@yahoo.es
Henao-Carrasco
Fernando
F
García-Manrique
Teresa
T
Fernández-Salguero
Pedro M
PM
Codes-Manuel de Villena
Manuel
M
D056704:Adaptive Immunity; D000818:Animals; D019070:Cell Lineage; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051785:Smad Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
D016207:Cytokines; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D051785:Smad Proteins; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta