Department of Molecular Medicine for Pathogenesis, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Shitsukawa, Toon, Japan.
Breast Cancer. 2012 Apr;19(2):118-24. doi: 10.1007/s12282-011-0321-2. Epub 2011 Dec 3.
Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) ligand is a multifunctional growth factor that regulates various cell behavior, such as cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, and apoptosis. Because TGF-β is a potent growth inhibitor, abnormalities in TGF-β signaling result in carcinogenesis. In addition to tumor suppressor function, TGF-β acts as an oncogenic factor. In particular, TGF-β signaling plays an important role during metastasis of breast cancer. Recently, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been shown to confer malignant properties such as cell motility and invasiveness to cancer cells and plays crucial roles during cancer metastasis. Moreover, breast stem-like cells exhibit EMT properties. Because TGF-β is a potent regulator of EMT as well as cell stemness, TGF-β signaling might play a crucial role in the regulation of breast cancer stem cells.
转化生长因子-β（TGF-β）配体是一种多功能生长因子，可调节细胞的多种行为，如细胞增殖、分化、迁移和凋亡。由于 TGF-β 是一种有效的生长抑制剂，TGF-β 信号异常导致致癌作用。除了肿瘤抑制功能外，TGF-β 还作为致癌因子发挥作用。特别是 TGF-β 信号在乳腺癌的转移中发挥重要作用。最近，上皮-间充质转化（EMT）已被证明赋予癌细胞迁移和侵袭等恶性特性，并在癌症转移过程中发挥关键作用。此外，乳腺干细胞样细胞表现出 EMT 特性。由于 TGF-β 是 EMT 以及细胞干性的有效调节剂，TGF-β 信号可能在调节乳腺癌干细胞中发挥关键作用。
