Expression of a dominant negative type II TGF-β receptor in mouse skin results in an increase in carcinoma incidence and an acceleration of carcinoma development

The role of Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) in carcinogenesis is complex. There are reports on both tumor inhibition and tumor promotion by TGF-beta. To elucidate the complex role of TGF-beta in epithelial carcinogenesis, we generated transgenic mice overexpressing a dominant negative type II TGF-beta receptor in the basal cell compartment and in follicular cells of the skin. Despite the reduced responsiveness of transgenic keratinocytes to TGF-beta, both proliferation and differentiation were normal in non-irritated epidermis of these transgenic mice. Thus, interruption of signaling of all three isoforms of TGF-beta in basal and follicular cells does not disturb tissue homeostas…