TGF-β and microvessel homeostasis

Aberrant transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling plays a clear role in a number of pathologies, in particular, fibrotic diseases and cancer. Accumulating evidence also suggests that TGF-β is required for vascular homeostasis, shedding light on the role of circulating TGF-β and the expression of TGF-β receptors in the adult vasculature, in the absence of any pathologic processes. In human pathologies such as hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) and preeclampsia, TGF-β signaling is abnormal. Studies from these disorders have helped elucidate the complex and multiple roles of this ubiquitously-expressed growth factor. The aim of this review is to collate some of the recent evidence that demonstrates a non-redundant role for TGF-β signaling in maintaining vessel structure and function.