TGF-β/Smads信号转导通路的研究进展

转化生长因子（TGF）-β超家族成员的重要生物学功能正日益引起人们的重视。受体介导的胞内信号转导研究近年有较大进展,特别是Smads蛋白介导的信号转导通路为阐明TGF-β超家族的作用机理提供了一条重要线索。TGF-β/Smads信号的转导受到机体严密的调控,并与其他信号通路存在着广泛的交叉对话效应。综述了对TGF-β/Smads信号转导通路的机制、调控,及其在维持机体正常生理功能和疾病发生中的作用的研究进展。     

抑制型Smad对TGF-β信号通路的负调控研究进展

转化生长因子TGF-β超家族是一类在结构上相关的蛋白,目前发现在哺乳动物中有超过30多个细胞因子可能属于这一超家族。它们在各类细胞中广泛参与细胞生长、黏附、迁移、分化及凋亡等过程。其中抑制型Smad(I-Smads,包括Smad6和Smad7)是TGF-β/BMP信号通路里重要的抑制型蛋白,在多种细胞与组织的发育过程以及疾病的发生过程中扮演着重要的角色。对其研究已经过10多年,取得许多重大的进展,但也还有很多重要的问题还没有解决。着重介绍I-Smads对TGF-β信号通路的负调控研究进展。     

SARA is dispensable for functional TGF-β signaling

Smad anchor for receptor activation (SARA or ZFYVE9) has been proposed to mediate transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signaling by direct interaction with the non-activated Smad proteins and the TGF-β receptors; however, these findings are controversial. We demonstrate no correlation between SARA expression and the levels of TGF-β-induced phosphorylation of Smads in various B-cell lymphomas. Moreover, knockdown of SARA in HeLa cells did not interfere with TGF-β-induced Smad activation, Smad nuclear translocation, or induction of TGF-β target genes. Various R-Smads and TGF-β receptors did not co-immunoprecipitate with SARA. Collectively, our results demonstrate that SARA is dispensable for functional TGF-β-mediated signaling.     

Regulation of autophagy by transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) has broad impacts on an array of diverse cellular functions including cell growth, differentiation, adhesion, migration, and apoptosis. Perturbations of the TGF-β signaling pathways are involved in progression of various tumors. Autophagy is a pivotal response of normal and cancer cells to environmental stresses and is induced by various stimuli. Otherwise, autophagy has an intrinsic function in tumor suppression. Recently, we demonstrated that TGF-β induces autophagy in hepatocellular carcinoma cells and mammary carcinoma cells. Autophagy activation by TGF-β is mediated through the Smad and JNK pathways. We show that siRNA-mediated knockdown of autophagy genes suppresses the growth inhibitory function of TGF-β and that autophagy activation potentiates TGF-β-mediated induction of proapoptotic genes, Bim and Bmf, in hepatoma cells. In this context, the autophagy pathway might contribute to the growth inhibitory effect of TGF-β, in conjunction with other anti-proliferative pathways downstream of TGF-β signaling. The context and manner by which the TGF-β signaling pathway regulates autophagy have implications for a better understanding of pathological and bidirectional roles of TGF-β signaling pathways in tumorigenesis.     

TGF-β and BMP signaling in osteoblast differentiation and bone formation

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β)/bone morphogenic protein (BMP) signaling is involved in a vast majority of cellular processes and is fundamentally important throughout life. TGF-β/BMPs have widely recognized roles in bone formation during mammalian development and exhibit versatile regulatory functions in the body. Signaling transduction by TGF-β/BMPs is specifically through both canonical Smad-dependent pathways (TGF-β/BMP ligands, receptors and Smads) and non-canonical Smad-independent signaling pathway (e.g. p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, MAPK). Following TGF-β/BMP induction, both the Smad and p38 MAPK pathways converge at the Runx2 gene to control mesenchymal precursor cell differentiation. The coordinated activity of Runx2 and TGF-β/BMP-activated Smads is critical for formation of the skeleton. Recent advances in molecular and genetic studies using gene targeting in mice enable a better understanding of TGF-β/BMP signaling in bone and in the signaling networks underlying osteoblast differentiation and bone formation. This review summarizes the recent advances in our understanding of TGF-β/BMP signaling in bone from studies of genetic mouse models and human diseases caused by the disruption of TGF-β/BMP signaling. This review also highlights the different modes of cross-talk between TGF-β/BMP signaling and the signaling pathways of MAPK, Wnt, Hedgehog, Notch, and FGF in osteoblast differentiation and bone formation.     

Cholest-4-en-3-one attenuates TGF-β responsiveness by inducing TGF-β receptors degradation in Mv1Lu cells and colorectal adenocarcinoma cells

Purpose: The transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) pathway is an important in the initiation and progression of cancer. Due to a strong association between an elevated colorectal cancer risk and increase fecal excretion of cholest-4-en-3-one, we aim to determine the effects of cholest-4-en-3-one on TGF-β signaling in the mink lung epithelial cells (Mv1Lu) and colorectal cancer cells (HT29) in vitro.

Methods: The inhibitory effects of cholest-4-en-3-one on TGF-β-induced Smad signaling, cell growth inhibition, and the subcellular localization of TGF-β receptors were investigated in epithelial cells using a Western blot analysis, luciferase reporter assays, DNA synthesis assay, confocal microscopy, and subcellular fractionation.

Results: Cholest-4-en-3-one attenuated TGF-β signaling in Mv1Lu cells and HT29 cells, as judged by a TGF-β-specific reporter gene assay of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), Smad2/3 phosphorylation and nuclear translocation. We also discovered that cholest-4-en-3-one suppresses TGF-β responsiveness by increasing lipid raft and/or caveolae accumulation of TGF-β receptors and facilitating rapid degradation of TGF-β and thus suppressing TGF-β-induced signaling.

Conclusions: Our results suggest that cholest-4-en-3-one inhibits TGF-β signaling may be due, in part to the translocation of TGF-β receptor from non-lipid raft to lipid raft microdomain in plasma membranes. Our findings also implicate that cholest-4-en-3-one may be further explored for its potential role in colorectal cancer correlate to TGF-β deficiency.     

转化生长因子β调节血管平滑肌细胞分化和表型转换的研究进展

转化生长因子β(TGF-β)超家族是一类分泌型多肽信号分子,在调节细胞生长、分化、凋亡和组织稳态方面具有重要功能。对于血管平滑肌细胞,TGF-β可以促进前体细胞向平滑肌细胞分化和维持平滑肌细胞的收缩表型;TGF-β信号通路异常可以引起家族性动脉瘤,如Marfan综合征和Loeys-Dietz综合征等。我们简要综述了TGF-β在调节血管平滑肌细胞分化和表型转换过程中的分子机制研究进展,以及TGF-β调节的平滑肌细胞分化和表型转换异常在动脉瘤中的作用。     

TGF-β acts as a dual regulator of COX-2/PGE2 tumor promotion depending of its cross-interaction with H-Ras and Wnt/β-catenin pathways in colorectal cancer cells

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) plays a dual role acting as tumor promoter or suppressor. Along with cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and oncogenic Ras, this multifunctional cytokine is deregulated in colorectal cancer. Despite their individual abilities to promote tumor growth and invasion, the mechanisms of cross regulation between these pathways is still unclear. Here, we investigate the effects of TGF-β, Ras oncogene and COX-2 in the colorectal cancer context. We used colon adenocarcinoma cell line HT-29 and Ras-transformed IEC-6 cells, both treated with prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂), TGF-β or a combined treatment with these agents. We demonstrated that PGE₂ alters the subcellular localization of E-cadherin and β-catenin and enhanced the tumorigenic potential in HT-29 cells. This effect was inhibited by TGF-β, indicating a tumor suppressor role. Conversely, in Ras-transformed IEC-6 cells, TGF-β induced COX-2 expression and increased invasiveness, acting as a tumor promoter. In IEC-6 Ras-transformed cells, TGF-β increased nuclear β-catenin and Wnt/β-catenin activation, opposite to what was seen in the PGE₂ and TGF-β joint treatment in HT-29 cells. Together, our findings show that TGF-β increases COX-2 levels and induces invasiveness cooperating with Ras in a Wnt/β-catenin activation-dependent manner. This shows TGF-β dual regulation over COX-2/PGE₂ tumor promotion depending on the H-Ras and Wnt/β-catenin pathways activation status in intestinal cancer cells.     

The role of Smad signaling in vascular and hematopoietic development revealed by studies using genetic mouse models

Smads are intracellular mediators of transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) superfamily signaling. In this review, we focus on the genetic mouse models for Smad pathways, which have provided functional evidence regarding the complex circuitry in angiogenesis and hematopoiesis during development. In the early stages of vascular development, TGF-β signaling is a contri buting factor in angiogenesis and vascular maturation. Whereas in the later embryogenesis, selected molecules of Smad pathways, such as TGF-β type II receptor (TbRII), ALK5, and Smad5, seem to be dispensable for vessel morphogenesis and integrity. TGF-β signaling is not required in the induction of hematopoietic precursors from mesoderm, but inhibits the subsequent expansion of committed hematopoietic precursors. By contrast, bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) has long been acknowledged pivotal in mesoderm induction and hematopoietic commitment during development. However, recent genetic evidence shows the BMP4-ALK3 axis is not crucial for the formation of hematopoietic cells from FLK1+ mesoderm. Because of the highly redundant mechanisms within the Smad pathways, the precise role of the Smad signaling involved in vascular and hematopoietic development remains nebulous. The generation of novel cell lineage restricted Cre transgenes would shed new light on the future relevant investigations.     

TGF-β/Smads通路转导蛋白在心力衰竭发病中的研究进展

转化生长因子-β（transforming growth factor-β,TGF-β）作用复杂,广泛参与哺乳动物的各种病理生理过程如影响细胞的增殖分化、参与心力衰竭发展。TGF-β信号通路关键的信号传导分子为胞浆蛋白Smads。TGF-β诱导分化心肌成纤维细胞,刺激胶原蛋白等细胞间质成分的合成,促进细胞间质的沉积和抑制弹性蛋白酶等的分泌,刺激蛋白酶抑制剂的表达,从而抑制Ⅰ型胶原成分的降解,促进心肌纤维化发展,进一步了解TGF-β/Smads通路转导蛋白的作用及机制,通过抑制TGF-β/Smads通路转导蛋白作为治疗新靶点为最终防止心力衰竭提供了新的思路。