TGF-β Receptor

TGF-β receptors (Transforming growth factor-β receptors) are single pass serine/threonine kinase receptors. Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) is a member of a large family of pleiotropic cytokines that are involved in many biological processes, including growth control, differentiation, migration, cell survival, adhesion, and specification of developmental fate, in both normal and diseased states. TGF-beta superfamily members signal through a receptor complex comprising a type II and type I receptor, both serine/threonine kinases.

The type I receptors, referred to as activin receptor-like kinases (ALK), lie at the epicenter of the signaling cascade as they transduce TGF-beta signals to intracellular regulators of transcription known as Smad proteins. ALKs possess an extracellular binding domain, a transmembrane domain, a GS domain that serves as the site of activation by type II receptors, and a kinase domain that activates downstream signaling molecules. ALKs mediate the effect of TGF-beta superfamily on a variety of cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, adhesion and migration, and therefore play important roles in many biological processes. Some ALKs have been implicated in several disorders, including tumorigenesis and immune diseases, suggesting that these receptors can be used as drug targets.