The transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathway plays multiple regulatory roles in the tumorigenesis and development of cancer. TGF-β can inhibit the growth and proliferation of epithelial cells and induce apoptosis, thereby playing a role in inhibiting breast cancer. Therefore, the loss of response in epithelial cells that leads to the inhibition of cell proliferation due to TGF-β is a landmark event in tumorigenesis. As tumors progress, TGF-β can promote tumor cell invasion, metastasis, and drug resistance. At present, the above-mentioned role of TGF-β is related to the interaction of multiple signaling pathways in the cell, which can attenuate or abolish the inhibition of proliferation and apoptosis-promoting effects of TGF-β and enhance its promotion of tumor progression.
Family | Transcription Factor | Role | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
Zinc-finger domain | SNAIL | Snail blocks the cell cycle and confers resistance to cell death. | [32] |
SLUG | Downregulation of E-cadherin expression occurs during the EMT, a process also exploited by invasive cancer cells. | [33] | |
ZEB1 | Represses E-cadherin promoter and induces EMT by recruiting SMARCA4/BRG1. | [34] | |
ZEB2 | ZEB2 protein is involved in chemical signaling pathways that regulate early growth and development. | [35] | |
bHLH | TWIST1 | Overexpression of TWIST1 induces EMT, a key process in the metastasis formation of cancer. | [36] |
FOX | FOXC1 | FOXC1 partially promotes tumor metastasis by regulating EMT programs to support microvascular invasion, thereby increasing angiogenesis. | [37] |
FOXC2 | Transcriptional activator that are upregulated in breast cancer. | [38] | |
Homeobox | SIX1 | Six1 can promote the metastasis of human tumors, and the increased expression of Six1 can be used as an indicator for predicting breast cancer metastasis. | [39] |
LBX1 | LBX1 is upregulated in the unfavorable estrogen receptor (ER)/progesterone (PR)/HER2 triple-negative basal-like subtype. | [40] | |
cadherin | E-cadherin | E-cadherin an active suppressor of invasion and growth of many epithelial cancers. | [41,42][41][42] |
N-cadherin | It is dependent on its association with the actin-cytoskeleton and is mediated through interactions with catenin proteins. | [43] |