TGF-β Family Signaling in Tumor Suppression and Cancer Progression
- Joan Seoane1,2,4 and
- Roger R. Gomis2,3,4
- 1Translational Research Program, Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- 2Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), 08010 Barcelona, Spain
- 3Oncology Program, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Correspondence: jseoane{at}vhio.net; roger.gomis{at}irbbarcelona.org
Abstract
Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) induces a pleiotropic pathway that is modulated by the cellular context and its integration with other signaling pathways. In cancer, the pleiotropic reaction to TGF-β leads to a diverse and varied set of gene responses that range from cytostatic and apoptotic tumor-suppressive ones in early stage tumors, to proliferative, invasive, angiogenic, and oncogenic ones in advanced cancer. Here, we review the knowledge accumulated about the molecular mechanisms involved in the dual response to TGF-β in cancer, and how tumor cells evolve to evade the tumor-suppressive responses of this signaling pathway and then hijack the signal, converting it into an oncogenic factor. Only through the detailed study of this complexity can the suitability of the TGF-β pathway as a therapeutic target against cancer be evaluated.
