恶性肿瘤的浸润转移是导致肿瘤患者死亡的主要原因,转化生长因子-β(transforming growth factor-β,TGF-β)调节的上皮间质转化(epithelial-mesenchymal transition,EMT)能使肿瘤上皮细胞转变为具有间质特性的细胞,肿瘤细胞由此获得侵袭性和迁移性,从原发灶中逸出,进而发生转移。因此,对TGF-β调节的EMT在肿瘤浸润转移中作用的深入研究能够为临床治疗肿瘤转移提供研究基础。将对TGF-β调节EMT的信号通路,及其在肿瘤浸润转移中的作用和干预研究进行综述。
Invasion and metastasis are main causes of cancer fatality. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) can make a transition from the tumor epithelial cells to mesenchymal-like cells which possess the capacity to invade and migrate, thus facilitates the escape of cancer cells from the primary tumor site and metastasis. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is a key regulator of EMT. Therefore, further researches on TGF-β induced EMT in cancer invasion and metastasis will allow the development of new therapies to reduce metastasis. Here, we review signaling pathways and the progress on the mechanism of TGF-β induced EMT in cancer invasion and metastasis, and introduce the new inhibitors of EMT.