scholarly journals The Activation Status of the TGF-β Transducer Smad2 Is Associated with a Reduced Survival in Gastrointestinal Cancers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (15) ◽  
pp. 3831
Author(s):  
Ilaria Girolami ◽  
Nicola Veronese ◽  
Lee Smith ◽  
Maria G. Caruso ◽  
Rosa Reddavide ◽  
...  

Aberrant function of Smad2, a crucial member of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) signaling, is associated with the development of malignancies, particularly in the gastrointestinal district. However, little is known about its possible prognostic role in such tumor types. With the first meta-analysis on this topic, we demonstrated that the lack of the activated form of Smad2 (phosphor-Smad2 or pSmad2), which was meant to be the C-terminally phosphorylated form, showed a statistically significant association with an increased risk of all-cause mortality in patients with gastrointestinal cancers (RR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.05–2.37, p = 0.029, I2 = 84%), also after having adjusted for potential confounders (RR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.24–2.18; p < 0.001; I2 = 4%). This finding highlights the importance of the TGF-β signaling in this type of cancer. In this line, further studies are needed to explore more in depth this important molecular pathway, focusing also on potential therapeutic strategies based on its effectors or molecular targets.

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 798
Author(s):  
Carlos Pascual-Morena ◽  
Iván Cavero-Redondo ◽  
Alicia Saz-Lara ◽  
Irene Sequí-Domínguez ◽  
Maribel Lucerón-Lucas-Torres ◽  
...  

The transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) pathway could modulate the Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) phenotype. This meta-analysis aims to estimate the association of genetic variants involved in the TGFβ pathway, including the latent transforming growth factor beta binding protein 4 (LTBP4) and secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) genes, among others, with age of loss of ambulation (LoA) and cardiac function in patients with DMD. Meta-analyses were conducted for the hazard ratio (HR) of LoA for each genetic variant. A subgroup analysis was performed in patients treated exclusively with glucocorticoids. Eight studies were included in the systematic review and four in the meta-analyses. The systematic review suggests a protective effect of LTBP4 haplotype IAAM (recessive model) for LoA. It is also suggested that the SPP1 rs28357094 genotype G (dominant model) is associated with early LoA in glucocorticoids-treated patients. The meta-analysis of the LTBP4 haplotype IAAM showed a protective association with LoA, with an HR = 0.78 (95% CI: 0.67–0.90). No association with LoA was observed for the SPP1 rs28357094. The LTBP4 haplotype IAAM is associated with a later LoA, especially in the Caucasian population, while the SPP1 rs28357094 genotype G could be associated with a poor response to glucocorticoids. Future research is suggested for SPP1 rs11730582, LTBP4 rs710160, and THBS1 rs2725797.


2016 ◽  
Vol 119 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Trevi A Ramirez ◽  
Greg Aune

Childhood cancer survivors are at an increased risk of heart disease as a result of their cancer treatments. Drugs like doxorubicin (DOX) are an effective part of treatment regimens, but have been proven to cause acute and chronic cardiotoxicity (DOX tox). An under-investigated aspect of DOX tox is the interstitial fibrosis that the majority of patients develop. This project aims to better understand the pathology of DOX-induced cardiac fibrosis and the role of the pro-fibrotic transforming growth factor-beta (TGFb) signaling pathway. Research in the area of fibrosis and the effect of DOX on cardiac fibroblasts will increase our understanding of DOX tox. This understanding will allow for improved treatment of pediatric cancer patients by reducing the cardiotoxic sequelae of many standard chemotherapy regimens. Cardiac fibroblasts, isolated from 3 week old mice and treated with 5 μM DOX, showed an increase in nuclear pSMAD compared to control cells via fluorescent immunocytology (2.06 ± 0.26 vs 1.13 ± 0.15, p<0.05). Mice treated with 3 mg/kg DOX injections from 2 weeks to 6 weeks of age showed increased TGFb staining in the left ventricle (1.83 ± 0.34 vs 0.87 ± 0.28, p<0.05) a week after treatment ceased. A subset of mice were followed into old age and sacrificed at 80 weeks. A clear increase in TGFb was seen with age. However, 80 week mice that were exposed to DOX early in life showed a greater increase in TGFb staining compared to untreated 80 week old mice (44.50 ± 2.48 vs 30.93 ± 2.30, p<0.001). Early DOX exposure causes chronic molecular changes as evidenced by acute and chronic changes in signaling molecules in cardiac tissue. Changes in collagen seen in earlier studies and increases in MMP-2 from the literature suggest a cardiac remodeling phenotype in DOX-exposed animals. This project demonstrates that DOX initiates changes to pro-fibrotic pathways, seemingly driven by the TGFb signaling pathway.


Tumor Biology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (8) ◽  
pp. 101042831986909 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariem Hadj-Ahmed ◽  
Rabeb M Ghali ◽  
Hanen Bouaziz ◽  
Azza Habel ◽  
Mouna Stayoussef ◽  
...  

Variable association of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFβ1) in breast cancer (BC) pathogenesis was documented, and the contribution of specific TGFB1 polymorphisms to the progression of BC and associated features remains poorly understood. We investigated the contribution of TGFB1 rs1800469, rs1800470, rs1800471, and rs1800472 variants and 4-locus TGFB1 haplotypes on BC susceptibility, and pathological presentation of BC subtypes. Study subjects comprised 430 female BC cases, and 498 cancer-free control women. BC-associated pathological parameters were also evaluated for correlation with TGFB1 variants. Results obtained showed that the minor allele frequency (MAF) of rs1800471 (+74G>C) was higher seen in BC cases than in control subjects, and was associated with increased risk of BC. Significant differences in rs1800471 and rs1800469 (−509C>T) genotype distribution were noted between BC cases and controls, which persisted after controlling for key covariates. TGFB1 rs1800472 was positively, while rs1800470 was negatively associated with triple negativity, while rs1800470 positively correlated with menarche, but negatively with tumor size and molecular type, and rs1800469 correlated positively with menstrual irregularity, distant metastasis, nodal status, and hormonotherapy. Heterogeneity in LD pattern was noted between the tested TGFB1 variants. Four-locus (rs1800472-rs1800471-rs1800470-rs1800469) Haploview analysis identified haplotype TGCT to be negatively associated, and haplotypes CGTT and CCCC to be positively associated with BC. This association of CGTT and CCCC, but not TGCT, with BC remained significant after controlling for key covariates. In conclusion, TGFB1 alleles and specific genotypes, and 4-locus TGFB1 haplotypes influence BC susceptibility, suggesting dual association imparted by specific SNP, consistent with dual role for TGFB1 in BC pathogenesis.


1994 ◽  
Vol 180 (5) ◽  
pp. 1693-1703 ◽  
Author(s):  
J H Lowrance ◽  
F X O'Sullivan ◽  
T E Caver ◽  
W Waegell ◽  
H D Gresham

Infection with gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria remains a leading cause of death in patients with systemic lupus erythematosis (SLE), even in the absence of immunosuppressive therapy. To elucidate the mechanisms that underly the increased risk of infection observed in patients with systemic autoimmunity, we have investigated host defense against bacterial infection in a murine model of autoimmunity, the MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr (MRL/lpr) mouse. Our previous study implicated transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) in a novel acquired defect in neutrophil function in MRL/lpr but not congenic MRL/Mp-+/+ (MRL/n) mice (Gresham, H.D., C.J. Ray, and F.K. O'Sullivan. 1991. J. Immunol. 146:3911). We hypothesized from these observations that MRL/lpr mice would have defects in host defense against bacterial infection and that they would have constitutively higher local and systemic levels of active TGF-beta which would be responsible, at least in part, for the defect in host defense. We show in this paper that spontaneous elaboration of active TGF-beta adversely affects host defense against both gram-negative and gram-positive bacterial infection in MRL/lpr mice. Our data indicate that MRL/lpr mice, as compared with congenic MRL/n mice, exhibit decreased survival in response to bacterial infection, that polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) from MRl/lpr mice fail to migrate to the site of infection during the initial stages of infection, that MRL/lpr mice have a significantly increased bacterial burden at the site of infection and at other tissue sites, and that this increased bacterial growth occurs at a time (&gt; 20 h after infection) when PMN influx is greatly enhanced in MRL/lpr mice. Most intriguingly, the alteration in PMN extravasation during the initial stages of infection and failure to restrict bacterial growth in vivo could be duplicated in MRL/n mice with a parenteral injection of active TGF-beta 1 at the time of bacterial challenge. Moreover, these alterations in host defense, including survival in response to lethal infection, could be ameliorated in MRL/lpr mice by the parenteral administration of a monoclonal antibody that neutralizes the activity of TGF-beta. These data indicate that elaboration of TGF-beta as a result of autoimmune phenomenon suppresses host defense against bacterial infection and that such a mechanism could be responsible for the increased risk of bacterial infection observed in patients with autoimmune diseases.


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