Stuelten CH, Zhang YE. Transforming Growth Factor-β: An Agent of Change in the Tumor Microenvironment.
Front Cell Dev Biol 2021;
9:764727. [PMID:
34712672 PMCID:
PMC8545984 DOI:
10.3389/fcell.2021.764727]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGF-β) is a key regulator of embryonic development, adult tissue homeostasis, and lesion repair. In tumors, TGF-β is a potent inhibitor of early stage tumorigenesis and promotes late stage tumor progression and metastasis. Here, we review the roles of TGF-β as well as components of its signaling pathways in tumorigenesis. We will discuss how a core property of TGF-β, namely its ability to change cell differentiation, leads to the transition of epithelial cells, endothelial cells and fibroblasts to a myofibroblastoid phenotype, changes differentiation and polarization of immune cells, and induces metabolic reprogramming of cells, all of which contribute to the progression of epithelial tumors.
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