1. DEMI DABOR-ALLOH TGF-β Receptor II and Gastric Cancer

2. TGF-β Receptor II is a trans-membrane serine/threonine kinase

3. TGF β signalling regulates many cell processes including:  Growth Inhibition  Cell Migration  Invasion  Epithelial – Mesenchymal Transition  Extracellular Matrix Remodelling  Immune - suppression

4. Knocking out TGF-β receptor II caused embryonic lethality and defects of yolk sac haematopoiesis and vasculogenesis

5. Gastric cancer is the second most frequent cause of cancer death in the world after lung cancer.

6. Some patients with gastric cancer have mutations that truncate the TGF-β RII protein

7. The TGF-β Paradox: it has Cytostatic effects vs. tumour favouring effects

8. Surgery is the primary treatment for gastric cancer http://www.hopkins-gi.org Total Gastrectomy Endoscopic Mucosal Resection

9. Works Cited Oshima, M., Oshima, H., Taketo, M.M, 1996. TGF-β Receptor Type II Deficiency Results in Defects of Yolk Sac Hematopoesis and Vasculogenesis. Developmental Biology, 179, pp297 – 302. Yang, H.K., Kang S.H., Kim, Y.S., et al, 1999. Truncation of the TGF-β type II receptor gene results in insensitivity to TGF- β in human gastric cancer cells. Oncogene, 18, pp2213 – 2219. Akhurst, R.J., Derynck R, 2001. TGF- β signilling in cancer – a double-edged sword. Trends in Cell Biology, 11 (11), pp44 – 49. Bachman, K.E., Park, B.H, 2005. Duel nature of TGF- β signalling: tumor suppressor vs. tumor promoter. Current Opinion in Oncology, 17, pp49 – 54. Akhurst, R.J., Hata, A, 2012. Targeting the TGF- β signalling pathway in disease. Nature, 11, pp790 – 807. Narayan, S., Thangasamy, T., Balusu, R, Transforming Growth Factor – Beta Receptor Signalling in Cancer, 2005. Frontiers in Bioscience, 10, pp1135 – 1145. Jakowlew, S, 2006. Transforming growth factor- β in cancer and metastasis. Cancer Metastasis Review, 25, pp435 – 457. Mishra, L., Shetty, K., Tang,Y., et al, 2005. The role of TGF- β and Wnt signaling in gastrointestinal stem cells and cancer. Oncogene, 24, pp5775 – 5789. de Caestecker, M.P., Piek, E., Roberts, A.B, 2000. Role of Transforming Growth Factor- β Signaling in Cancer. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 92 (1), pp388 – 402. Becker, K.F., Keller, G, 2010. Gastric Cancer, Encyclopaedia of Life Sciences.