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. 2016 Aug 16;7(38):61262–61272. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.11311

Figure 7. Proposed model for the actions of TGF-β1 on PTEN, PI3K-AKT signaling and cell migration in type II endometrial cancer cells.

Figure 7

TGF-β1 binds to a complex of type I and II receptors leading to the phosphorylation/activation of receptor-regulated SMAD2/3 which bind to common SMAD4 and translocate into the nucleus to decrease the transcription of PTEN. In parallel, the ligand-receptor complex subsequently activates MEK leading to the phosphorylation/activation of ERK1/2 which acts post-transcriptionally to suppress PTEN protein. The down-regulation of PTEN enhances PI3K-AKT signaling which is an essential mediator of TGF-β1-induced type II endometrial cancer cell migration.