Duff E K, Clarke A R
Department of Pathology, The University of Edinburgh Medical School, UK.
Br J Cancer. 1998 Dec;78(12):1615-9. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1998.731.
The recently described family of Smad molecules are essential mediators of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) signalling. To date, seven members of this family have been identified, each of which plays a specific and separate role in mediating TGF-beta superfamily gene transcription. At least two different Smads, Smad2 and Smad4 (DPC4), have been implicated in human cancer and appear to have tumour-suppressor functions. Loss of function of Smad4 is most strongly associated with human pancreatic and colorectal malignancy. Furthermore, work from several different groups has suggested associations between Smad4 loss and malignancy in a number of other tissues. Here, we present a review of the current state of the literature implicating the central Smad mediator, Smad4, in the development of cancer.
最近描述的Smad分子家族是转化生长因子β（TGF-β）信号传导的重要介质。迄今为止，该家族已鉴定出七个成员，每个成员在介导TGF-β超家族基因转录中发挥特定且独立的作用。至少两种不同的Smad，即Smad2和Smad4（DPC4），与人类癌症有关，并且似乎具有肿瘤抑制功能。Smad4功能丧失与人类胰腺和结肠直肠恶性肿瘤最为密切相关。此外，来自几个不同研究小组的工作表明，Smad4缺失与许多其他组织中的恶性肿瘤之间存在关联。在此，我们对涉及核心Smad介质Smad4在癌症发生发展中的文献现状进行综述。
