Abstract
The type III transforming growth factor-beta receptor (TGFbetaR3, betaglycan), a tumour suppressor, is the most frequently lost TGFbeta pathway component. This event appears to be very important in the transition of the TGFbeta pathway from having tumour-suppressor activity in early prostate tumour development, to having tumour-promoting activity in metastatic disease. Moreover, loss of the TGFbetaR3 can also affect the cellular response towards testosterone, inhibin/activin, and dysregulate growth-factor pathways that mediate growth and angiogenesis. In this review we discuss how TGFbetaR3 normally functions as an accessory protein in the TGFbeta pathway, how its loss is related to tumour progression, and the treatment implications of TGFbetaR3 loss in individuals with prostate cancer.
