TGF-β Signaling in Endometrial Cancer

The members of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily are involved in the regulation of many crucial biological processes including cell proliferation, differentiation, ECM remodelling, metastasis and apoptosis of different cell types. On the other hand, components of the TGF-β signaling cascade are considered classic tumor-suppressors that can play multiple roles in carcinogenesis, acting as tumor suppressors during early stage disease and as tumor promoters at later stages of tumorigenesis. Loss of TGF-β-induced growth inhibition, which is characteristic for many types of cancers, has been associated with disruption and/or dysregulation of the TGF-β pathway, which may facilitate invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis.