Activin A and bone metastasis

Activin A, is a multifunctional cytokine of the transforming growth factor-b superfamily of growth factors. This molecule has been shownto be implicated in the regulation of a broad range of important biological functions including bone remodelling. Therefore, a deregulationin the activin signalling pathway may result in disturbances of normal bone metabolism and, eventually, in the onset of severe pathologicalconditions associated with an altered bone resorption. These observations support the concept that Act A might also be implicated in thepathogenesis of bone metastasis. This review provides insight into the most recent advances in understanding the role of this growth factorin the pathogenesis of bone metastasis, and discusses the implications related to the biomedical applications of these findings.J. Cell. Physiol. 225: 302–309, 2010. 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.