TGF-beta signalling in colon carcinogenesis.
Colorectal cancer remains the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer mortality in Europe. There are a number of pathways that have been implicated in colorectal carcinogenesis, including TGF-beta (TGF-β)/Smad signalling pathway. The TGF-β pathway is involved in several biological processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation, migration and apoptosis. Here we review the role of TGF-β signalling cascade in colorectal carcinogenesis and provide some new molecular insights that may aid efforts towards targeted antitumor therapies.
First Department of Surgery, Tzaneio General Hospital, Athens, Greece. pav.lampropoulos@gmail.com
Pavlos
P
Lampropoulos
Adamantia
A
Zizi-Sermpetzoglou
Spyros
S
Rizos
Alkiviadis
A
Kostakis
Nikolaos
N
Nikiteas
Athanasios G
AG
Papavassiliou
D000818:Animals; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000378:metabolism*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D000077294:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type II; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D051785:Smad Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000502:physiology*
D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta; D051785:Smad Proteins; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D000077294:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type II