AUTHOR=Zhang Maoduo , Zhang Ying Yi , Chen Yongze , Wang Jia , Wang Qiang , Lu Hezhe TITLE=TGF-β Signaling and Resistance to Cancer Therapy JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology VOLUME=9 YEAR=2021 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cell-and-developmental-biology/articles/10.3389/fcell.2021.786728 DOI=10.3389/fcell.2021.786728 ISSN=2296-634X ABSTRACT=

The transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) pathway, which is well studied for its ability to inhibit cell proliferation in early stages of tumorigenesis while promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition and invasion in advanced cancer, is considered to act as a double-edged sword in cancer. Multiple inhibitors have been developed to target TGF-β signaling, but results from clinical trials were inconsistent, suggesting that the functions of TGF-β in human cancers are not yet fully explored. Multiple drug resistance is a major challenge in cancer therapy; emerging evidence indicates that TGF-β signaling may be a key factor in cancer resistance to chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy. Finally, combining anti-TGF-β therapy with other cancer therapy is an attractive venue to be explored for the treatment of therapy-resistant cancer.