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Bone morphogenetic proteins in melanoma: Angel or devil?

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Abstract

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are members of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily serving multiple functions in many cell and tissue types including proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, chemotaxis, angiogenesis, and matrix production during embryogenic development as well as in adult life. Despite the tremendous progress in delineating functional derangements of BMP pathways in carcinogenesis during the last decade, the biological significance of BMPs in human melanoma has received very little attention. It is now clear that biological responses to BMPs are cell type-specific and divergent effects, i.e., both oncogenic and tumor suppressor activities, have been described. Thus, knowledge generated in one system may not translate directly to another. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of BMP signaling in various human cancers and discuss original data pertaining to cutaneous melanoma obtained in our laboratory.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, 52242

    Mei-Yu Hsu, Sherry Rovinsky, Sunita Penmatcha & DesiRae Muirhead

  2. Dermatology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, 52242

    Mei-Yu Hsu

  3. Veteran Administration Medical Center, Iowa City, IA, 52242

    Sunita Penmatcha

  4. The Wister Institute, Philadelphia, PA, 19104

    Meenhard Herlyn

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  1. Mei-Yu Hsu
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Hsu, MY., Rovinsky, S., Penmatcha, S. et al. Bone morphogenetic proteins in melanoma: Angel or devil?. Cancer Metastasis Rev 24, 251–263 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10555-005-1575-y

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