Most researchers agree that idiopathic scoliosis (IS) is a multifactorial 
disease influenced by complex genetic and environmental factors. The onset of 
the spinal deformity that determines the natural course of the disease, usually 
occurs in the juvenile or adolescent period. Transforming growth factors β 
(TGF-βs) and their receptors, TGFBRs, may be considered as candidate genes 
related to IS susceptibility and natural history. This study explores the 
transcriptional profile of TGF-βs, TGFBRs, and TGF-β responsive genes in the 
paravertebral muscles of patients with juvenile and adolescent idiopathic 
scoliosis (JIS and AIS, resp.). Muscle specimens were harvested intraoperatively 
and grouped according to the side of the curve and the age of scoliosis onset. 
The results of microarray and qRT-PCR analysis confirmed significantly higher 
transcript abundances of TGF-β2, TGF-β3, and TGFBR2 in samples from the curve 
concavity of AIS patients, suggesting a difference in TGF-β signaling in the 
pathogenesis of juvenile and adolescent curves. Analysis of TGF-β responsive 
genes in the transcriptomes of patients with AIS suggested overrepresentation of 
the genes localized in the extracellular region of curve concavity: LTBP3, 
LTBP4, ITGB4, and ITGB5. This finding suggests the extracellular region of 
paravertebral muscles as an interesting target for future molecular research 
into AIS pathogenesis.