{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,11,7]],"date-time":"2026-11-07T11:47:34Z","timestamp":1794052054892,"version":"4.8.0"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]],"date-time":"2026-02-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1771977600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Italy\u2019s Foundation \u201cFondazione CRT\u201d","award":["ALDE_CRT_23_01 RF = 106301 \/ 2023.1742"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["ALDE_CRT_23_01 RF = 106301 \/ 2023.1742"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJMS"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare and aggressive tumor associated with asbestos exposure, which represents a current problem. MPM is characterized by a poor prognosis and an unsatisfactory therapeutic approach. Therefore, improving MPM prognosis is the real challenge for research today. Regarding preclinical data, Transforming Growth Factor-\u03b2 (TGF-\u03b2) plays a crucial role in cancer, and its alteration has been associated with tumor progression and invasiveness, in particular through the Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) event. We investigated the role of TGF-\u03b2 inhibition in proliferation, cell cycle, migration, and invasiveness in human MPM cells. Data obtained clearly highlighted how TGF-\u03b2 inhibition, through the silencing or treatment of MPM cells with antibody anti-TGF-\u03b2 (Fresolimumab), significantly reduces cell proliferation (MTT, PCNA) and prevents metastasis, reducing EMT and decreasing the invasiveness and migration of MPM cells. Finally, we also evaluated TGF-\u03b2 inhibitory effects in 3D MPM cellular models (spheroids), highlighting a significant slowdown in the growth rate of spheroids treated with anti-TGF-\u03b2 antibody or Fresolimumab, confirming the results previously obtained. Taken as a whole, targeting TGF-\u03b2 will represent a starting point for future improvements in MPM management. This is particularly important as we foresee a growing increase in MPM in the coming years.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms27052157","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,26]],"date-time":"2026-02-26T09:31:32Z","timestamp":1772098292000},"page":"2157","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["TGF-\u03b2 Inhibition Through Combinatory Strategies Suppresses Proliferation and Invasiveness in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"27","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-7727-2055","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Valeria","family":"Ramundo","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Via Santena, 5\/bis, 10126 Torino, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Maria Luisa","family":"Palazzo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Via Nizza, 52, 10126 Torino, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Stefania","family":"Lignola","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Via Santena, 5\/bis, 10126 Torino, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Daniela","family":"Raimondo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Via Santena, 5\/bis, 10126 Torino, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3612-3953","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Joanna","family":"Kopecka","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Via Santena, 5\/bis, 10126 Torino, Italy"},{"name":"Interdepartmental Center for Studies on Asbestos and Other Toxic Particulates \u201cG. Scansetti\u201d, University of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy"},{"name":"Molecular Biotechnology Center \u201cGuido Tarone\u201d, University of Torino, Piazza Nizza, 44, 10126 Torino, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0236-6175","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Elisabetta","family":"Aldieri","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Via Santena, 5\/bis, 10126 Torino, Italy"},{"name":"Interdepartmental Center for Studies on Asbestos and Other Toxic Particulates \u201cG. Scansetti\u201d, University of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"472","DOI":"10.1183\/16000617.0063-2016","article-title":"Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma: An Update on Investigation, Diagnosis and Treatment","volume":"25","author":"Bibby","year":"2016","journal-title":"Eur. Respir. Rev."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"80","DOI":"10.1097\/CCO.0000000000000697","article-title":"Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma: Recent Developments","volume":"33","author":"Sinn","year":"2021","journal-title":"Curr. Opin. Oncol."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Moro, J., Sobrero, S., Cartia, C.F., Ceraolo, S., Rapana, R., Vaisitti, F., Ganio, S., Mellone, F., Rudella, S., and Scopis, F. (2022). Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenges of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma. 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