Specificity of Smad Proteins in Transforming Growth Factor-beta Signaling

转化生长因子- β (tgf - β)调节一系列令人着迷的细胞过程，包括细胞增殖、分化、迁移、组织和死亡，并影响广泛的生物功能，如胚胎发育、造血、免疫和炎症反应。鉴于tgf - β作用的多功能性质，tgf - β功能的破坏与许多人类疾病，特别是结直肠癌和胰腺癌有关，这并不奇怪。Smad蛋白（一共有10种）是tgf - β细胞活动的关键成分。事实上，Smad4在胰腺癌基因座4中也被称为DPC4。该项目研究了每个Smad蛋白在细胞分子水平上是如何工作的，以及它调节的生物功能的哪一部分。总的来说，该项目的结果可能为治疗tgf - β相关疾病（如结直肠癌和胰腺癌）提供明确和特异性的分子靶点。

Transforming growth factor-betas (TGF-beta) regulate a fascinating array of cellular processes including cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, organization and death, as well as affect a wide range of biological functions, such as embryonic development, hematopoiesis and immune and inflammatory responses. Given the multifunctional nature of TGF-beta action, it is not surprising that the disruptions of TGF-beta functions have been implicated in many human disorders, particularly in colorectal and pancreatic cancers. The Smad proteins (there are ten of them) are critical components of TGF-beta cellular actions. In fact, Smad4 also called DPC4 for deleted in pancreatic carcinoma locus 4. This project addresses how each Smad protein works at molecular level in the cell, and which part of biological functions it regulates. Collectively, the outcomes of the project may provide clear and specific molecular targets to treat TGF-beta related diseases such as colorectal and pancreatic cancers.