FOXF2 deficiency accelerates the visceral metastasis of basal-like breast cancer by unrestrictedly increasing TGF-β and miR-182-5p

The mesenchymal transcription factor forkhead box F2 (FOXF2) is a critical regulator of embryogenesis and tissue homeostasis. Our previous studies demonstrated that FOXF2 is ectopically expressed in basal-like breast cancer (BLBC) cells and that FOXF2 deficiency promotes the epithelial–mesenchymal transition and aggressiveness of BLBC cells. In this study, we found that FOXF2 controls transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β)/SMAD signaling...