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Crosstalk between TGF-β signaling and miRNAs in breast cancer metastasis

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Tumor Biology

Abstract

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathway is a key regulator of various cancer biologies, including cancer cell migration, invasion, angiogenesis, proliferation, as well as apoptosis, and it is one of indispensable signaling pathways during cancer metastasis. TGF-β signaling pathway can regulate and be regulated by a series of molecular and signaling pathways where microRNAs (miRNAs) seem to play important roles. miRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that can regulate expressions of their target genes. Emerging evidence suggest that miRNAs participate in various biological and pathologic processes such as cancer cells apoptosis, proliferation, invasion, migration, and metastasis by influencing multiple signaling pathways. In this article, we focus on the interaction between miRNAs and TGF-β in breast cancer (BC) metastasis through modulating invasion-metastasis-related factors, including epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), cancer stem cells (CSCs), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), tissue inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs), cell adhesion molecules (CAMs), and tumor microenvironment (TME). Through a clear understanding of the complicated links between TGF-β pathway and miRNAs, it may provide a novel and safer therapeutic target to prevent BC metastasis.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81272470).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China

    Wei Chen, Heda Zhang & Jin-hai Tang

  2. Department of General Surgery, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China

    Siying Zhou, Heda Zhang & JIan Li

  3. The First Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China

    Siying Zhou

  4. Department of General Surgery, Huaian Second People’s Hospital, Huaian, China

    Ling Mao

  5. Jiangsu Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Cancer Institute of Jiangsu Province, 42 Bai Zi Ting Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210000, China

    Dawei Sun, Junying Zhang & Jin-hai Tang

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  1. Wei Chen
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Correspondence to Jin-hai Tang.

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Chen, W., Zhou, S., Mao, L. et al. Crosstalk between TGF-β signaling and miRNAs in breast cancer metastasis. Tumor Biol. 37, 10011–10019 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13277-016-5060-8

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