Smad7: a new key player in TGF-β-associated disease

Smad7 is a major inhibitory regulator of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling. Smad7 expression is induced by TGF-β itself and other signaling pathways, indicating a key role for Smad7 in feedback or cross-talk control of TGF-β signaling. Recent reports have implicated Smad7 as a crucial regulator of TGF-β activity in human disease; aberrant expression of Smad7 is involved in inflammatory bowel disease and scleroderma. Thus, modulation of Smad7 expression could provide a novel therapeutic basis for TGF-β-associated disorders.