madh 4

SMAD Family Member 4 (SMAD4) is a cytoplasmic protein that belongs to the Dwarfin/SMAD family. SMAD4 contains one MH1 (MAD homology 1) domain and one MH2 (MAD homology 2) domain. It is the component of the heterotrimeric SMAD2/SMAD3-SMAD4 complex that forms in the nucleus and is required for the TGF-mediated signaling. SMAD4 promotes binding of the SMAD2/SMAD4/FAST-1 complex to DNA and provides an activation function required for SMAD1 or SMAD2 to stimulate transcription. SMAD4 may act as a tumor suppressor. It positively regulates PDPK1 kinase activity by stimulating its dissociation from the 14-3-3 protein YWHAQ which acts as a negative regulator. Mutations or deletions in SMAD4 have been shown to result in pancreatic cancer, juvenile polyposis syndrome, and hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia syndrome.