Partners in Crime: the TGFβ and MAPK Pathways in Cancer Progression

Overview

Journal Cell Biosci

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Biology

Date 2011 Dec 30

PMID 22204556

Citations 55

Authors

Douglas A Chapnick

Lisa Warner

Jennifer Bernet

Timsi Rao

Xuedong Liu

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The TGFβ and Ras-MAPK pathways play critical roles in cell development and cell cycle regulation, as well as in tumor formation and metastasis. In the absence of cellular transformation, these pathways operate in opposition to one another, where TGFβ maintains an undifferentiated cell state and suppresses proliferation, while Ras-MAPK pathways promote proliferation, survival and differentiation. However, in colorectal and pancreatic cancers, the opposing pathways' mechanisms are simultaneously activated in order to promote cancer progression and metastasis. Here, we highlight the roles of the TGFβ and Ras-MAPK pathways in normal and malignant states, and provide an explanation for how the concomitant activation of these pathways drives tumor biology. Finally, we survey potential therapeutic targets in these pathways.

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