Role of TGF-beta in the tumor stroma.

Recent findings have demonstrated that the tumor stroma actively contributes to tumorigenesis. The communication of malignant cells and tumor stromal components is orchestrated in part by a network of growth factors. One of these growth factors is transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), a secreted multifunctional protein that acts in a highly cellular contextual manner. TGF-beta can either stimulate or inhibit the tumor-promoting effects of the different components of the tumor stroma. In this review, we discuss our current understanding on how TGF-beta influences different stromal compartments.