Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) has long been identified with its intensive involvement in early embryonic development and organogenesis, immune supervision, tissue repair, and adult homeostasis. The role of TGF-β in fibrosis and cancer is complex and sometimes even contradictory, exhibiting either inhibitory or promoting effects depending on the stage of the disease. Under pathological conditions, overexpressed TGF-β causes epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) formation, which leads to fibrotic disease, and cancer. Given the critical role of TGF-β and its downstream molecules in the progression of fibrosis and cancers, therapeutics targeting TGF-β signaling appears to be a promising strategy. However, due to potential systemic cytotoxicity, the development of TGF-β therapeutics has lagged. In this review, we summarized the biological process of TGF-β, with its dual role in fibrosis and tumorigenesis, and the clinical application of TGF-β-targeting therapies.

中文翻译：

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针对纤维化和癌症治疗的 TGF-β 信号转导

长期以来，转化生长因子 β (TGF-β) 因其在早期胚胎发育和器官发生、免疫监督、组织修复和成人体内平衡中的广泛参与而被确定。TGF-β在纤维化和癌症中的作用是复杂的，有时甚至是矛盾的，根据疾病的阶段表现出抑制或促进作用。在病理条件下，过度表达的 TGF-β 会导致上皮间质转化 (EMT)、细胞外基质 (ECM) 沉积、癌症相关成纤维细胞 (CAF) 形成，从而导致纤维化疾病和癌症。鉴于 TGF-β 及其下游分子在纤维化和癌症进展中的关键作用，靶向 TGF-β 信号传导的疗法似乎是一种有前途的策略。然而，由于潜在的全身细胞毒性，TGF-β 疗法的发展滞后。在这篇综述中，我们总结了 TGF-β 在纤维化和肿瘤发生中的双重作用的生物学过程，以及 TGF-β 靶向治疗的临床应用。