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Tropomyosin as a Regulator of Cancer Cell Transformation

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Tropomyosin

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 644))

Abstract

Tropomyosins (Tms) are among the most studied structural proteins of the actin cytoskeleton that are implicated in neoplastic-specific alterations in actin filament organization. Decreased expression of specific nonmuscle Tm isoforms is commonly associated with the transformed phenotype. These changes in Tm expression appear to contribute to the rearrangement of microfilament bundles and morphological alterations, increased cell motility and oncogenic signaling properties of transformed cells. Below we review aspects of Tm biology as it specifically relates to transformation and cancer including its expression in culture models of transformed cells and human tumors, mechanisms that regulate Tm expression and the role of Tm in oncogenic signaling.

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Correspondence to David M. Helfman .

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Helfman, D.M., Flynn, P., Khan, P., Saeed, A. (2008). Tropomyosin as a Regulator of Cancer Cell Transformation. In: Gunning, P. (eds) Tropomyosin. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 644. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-85766-4_10

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