The loss of TGF-β signaling promotes prostate cancer metastasis

WH Tu, TZ Thomas, N Masumori, NA Bhowmick… - Neoplasia, 2003 - Elsevier
WH Tu, TZ Thomas, N Masumori, NA Bhowmick, AE Gorska, Y Shyr, S Kasper, T Case…
Neoplasia, 2003Elsevier
In breast and colon cancers, transforming growth factor (TGIF)-β signaling initially has an
antineoplastic effect, inhibiting tumor growth, but eventually exerts a proneoplastic effect,
increasing motility and cancer spread. In prostate cancer, studies using human samples
have correlated the loss of the TGIF-β type II receptor (TβRll) with higher tumor grade. To
determine the effect of an inhibited TGIF-β pathway on prostate cancer, we bred transgenic
mice expressing the tumorigenic SV40 large T antigen in the prostate with transgenic mice …
Abstract
In breast and colon cancers, transforming growth factor (TGIF)-β signaling initially has an antineoplastic effect, inhibiting tumor growth, but eventually exerts a proneoplastic effect, increasing motility and cancer spread. In prostate cancer, studies using human samples have correlated the loss of the TGIF-β type II receptor (TβRll) with higher tumor grade. To determine the effect of an inhibited TGIF-β pathway on prostate cancer, we bred transgenic mice expressing the tumorigenic SV40 large T antigen in the prostate with transgenic mice expressing a dominant negative TβRII mutant (DNIIR) in the prostate. Transgene(s) and TGIF-β expression were identified in the prostate and decreased protein levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor type I, as a marker for TGIF-β signaling, correlated with expression of the DNIIR. Although the sizes of the neoplastic prostates were not enlarged, increased amounts of metastasis were observed in mice expressing both transgenes compared to age-matched control mice expressing only the large T antigen transgene. Our study demonstrates for the first time that a disruption of TGIF-β signaling in prostate cancer plays a causal role in promoting tumor metastasis.
Elsevier