NFAT transcription factors, the potion mediating 'Dr. Jekill-Mr. Hyde' transformation of the TGFbeta pathway in cancer cells.

摘要

An emerging model in cancer biology supports a dual role for TGF(3 signaling in tumorigenesis, acting as a tumor suppressor in early stages and a strong promoter of cell proliferation, migration and invasion in advanced tumor stages.12 TGF(3 blocks cell proliferation in untransformed cells through the induction of a cell cycle arrest at late G_1 phase.3 Two critical molecular events underlie TGFbeta anti-proliferative response: the initial transcriptional repression of the basic helix-loop-helix leucine zipper transcription factor c-Myc and the subsequent induction of the cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors pl5~(Ink4b) and p21~(Clp1.