Transforming growth factor-? in the gastrointestinal and hepatic tumor microenvironment.

ABSTRACT: Transforming growth factor (TGF)-? is a multifunctional cytokine that has important roles in tumor formation, progression, and metastasis. TGF-? is overproduced, and its signaling is deregulated, in a variety of human tumors, including colorectal, gastric, pancreatic, and liver. Therapeutics are being developed to block TGF-? signaling. However, TGF-? also functions as a tumor suppressor in premalignant cells. It is not clear how its function changes from that of a tumor suppressor to a tumor promoter; improvements are needed in our understanding of TGF-? functions in tumor development before we can design inhibitors for use as anticancer therapies. TGF-? regulates not only different tumor-cell autonomous signaling pathways, but also interactions between tumor and host cells, through paracrine mechanisms. We review recent findings about how TGF-? is regulated and its roles in the tumor microenvironment and metastasis, with a focus on gastrointestinal cancers. Improved understanding of TGF-? regulation and how it mediates interaction between cancer epithelial cells, immune cells, and fibroblasts will provide important insights into tumor development and progression.

SUBMITTER: Achyut BR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6644047 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature