Transforming growth factor β in prostate cancer. Cellular effects and basic molecular mechanisms

The multifunctional cytokine transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta) plays a dual role in prostate cancer (PCa), cell growth and tumorigenesis, reflected by its opposing properties of anti-oncogenic (e.g. growth inhibition and apoptosis) and pro-oncogenic effects (e.g. proliferation, cell motility and remodelling of the microenvironment). In the later stages of PCa, TGF beta loses anti-proliferative and thereby tumor-suppressive functions and shifts to a tumorigenic phenotype, mainly initiated by cross-talk between TGF beta signalling and other proliferation signal transduction pathways, such as mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and androgen receptor (AR) signalling. Although TGF beta plays an important role in tumor progression little is known about the underlying effects of TGF beta in the molecular pathology of PCa.