Targeting TGF-β: a promising strategy for cancer therapy.

Abstract

Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) has important role in regulating the cellular processes including cell growth, differentiation, and migration. TGF-β exerts its effect by binding with transcellular membranes and kinases. Our findings demonstrate that TGF- β possess dual role as tumor suppressor and tumor promoter in different stages of cancer. TGF-β emerged as a promising anticancer agent that exhibits the apoptosis by acting on the suppressor of mothers against decapentaplegic (SMAD) and non-SMAD pathways. In this review we are focusing on the different types of TGF- β inhibitors active against skin cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer and ovarian cancer. TGF-β inhibitors includes ligand traps, monoclonal antibodies and receptor kinase inhibitors. In recent studies, TGF- β inhibitors have also been used in combination therapies in the treatment of cancer. The TGF-β has important role in vaccine therapy, Chemo and Radio Resistance in Cancer. TGF-β inhibitors present the novel therapeutic approach for the cancer therapy, highlighting the mechanism of action involved, clinical trials, challenges and exploring therapeutic opportunities. This will help to develop the novel TGF-β inhibitors as anticancer agents as well as help to resolve the problem of drug resistance by developing new drugs as anticancer agents.