Targeting transcription factor STAT3 for cancer prevention and therapy

Edna Zhi Pei Chai; Muthu K Shanmugam; Frank Arfuso; Arunasalam Dharmarajan; Chao Wang; Alan Prem Kumar; Ramar Perumal Samy; Lina H K Lim; Lingzhi Wang; Boon Cher Goh; Kwang Seok Ahn; Kam Man Hui; Gautam Sethi

doi:10.1016/j.pharmthera.2015.10.004

Targeting transcription factor STAT3 for cancer prevention and therapy

Pharmacol Ther. 2016 Jun:162:86-97. doi: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2015.10.004. Epub 2016 Feb 12.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
² School of Biomedical Sciences, CHIRI Biosciences Research Precinct, Curtin University, WA 6009, Australia.
³ Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, Centre for Translational Medicine, 14 Medical Drive, #11-01M, Singapore 117599.
⁴ Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; School of Biomedical Sciences, CHIRI Biosciences Research Precinct, Curtin University, WA 6009, Australia; Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, Centre for Translational Medicine, 14 Medical Drive, #11-01M, Singapore 117599; Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, United States.
⁵ Department of Physiology, Centre for Life Sciences, NUHS, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117456.
⁶ Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, Centre for Translational Medicine, 14 Medical Drive, #11-01M, Singapore 117599; Department of Haematology-Oncology, National University Health System, Singapore 117597.
⁷ College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Kyungheedae-gil, Dongdaemoon-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
⁸ Division of Cellular and Molecular Research, Humphrey Oei Institute of Cancer Research, National Cancer Centre, Singapore 169610.
⁹ Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; School of Biomedical Sciences, CHIRI Biosciences Research Precinct, Curtin University, WA 6009, Australia. Electronic address: phcgs@nus.edu.sg.

PMID: 26478441
DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2015.10.004

Abstract

Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription (STATs) comprise an important class of transcription factors that have been implicated in a wide variety of essential cellular functions related to proliferation, survival, and angiogenesis. Among various STAT members, STAT3 is frequently overexpressed in tumor cells as well as tissue samples, and regulates the expression of numerous oncogenic genes controlling the growth and metastasis of tumor cells. The current review briefly discusses the importance of STAT3 as a potential target for cancer therapy and also provides novel insights into various classes of existing pharmacological inhibitors of this transcription factor that can be potentially developed as anti-cancer drugs.

Keywords: Angiogenesis; Apoptosis; Cancer; Cytokines; Proliferation; STAT3.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
Carcinogenesis / metabolism
Humans
Neoplasms / drug therapy*
Neoplasms / metabolism
Neoplasms / prevention & control*
STAT3 Transcription Factor / antagonists & inhibitors*
STAT3 Transcription Factor / metabolism
Signal Transduction

Substances

Antineoplastic Agents
STAT3 Transcription Factor