Role of the Adjacent Stroma Cells in Prostate Cancer Development and Progression : Synergy between TGF-β and IGF Signaling

Abstract EN

This review postulates the role of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I/IGF-II) signaling in stromal cells during prostate carcinogenesis and progression.

It is known that stromal cells have a reciprocal relationship to the adjacent epithelial cells in the maintenance of structural and functional integrity of the prostate.

An interaction between TGF-β and IGF signaling occupies a central part in this stromal-epithelial interaction.

An increase in TGF-β and IGF signaling will set off the imbalance of this relationship and will lead to cancer development.

A continuous input from TGF-β and IGF in the tumor microenvironment will result in cancer progression.

Understanding of these events can help prevention, diagnosis, and therapy of prostate cancer.