Signal transducer and activator of transcription proteins in leukemias

An insight into recent developments in imidazole based heterocyclic compounds as anticancer agents: Synthesis, SARs, and mechanism of actions

Among all non-communicable diseases, cancer is ranked as the second most common cause of death and is rising constantly. While cancer treatments mainly include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and surgery; chemotherapy is considered the most commonly employed and effective treatment. Most of the chemotherapeutic agents are azoles based compounds and imidazole is one such insightful azole. The anticancer properties of imidazole-based compounds have been thoroughly explored in recent years and all monosubstituted, disubstituted, trisubstituted, and tetrasubstituted imidazoles have been explored for their anticancer activities. Along with these compounds, other imidazole-based compounds like 1,3-dihydro-2H-imidazole-2-thiones, imidazolones, and poly imidazole compounds have also been explored for their anticancer activities. The activities of these compounds are heavily influenced by their structural resemblance to combretastatin 4A and ABI (2-aryl-4-benzoyl-imidazole). The lead compounds were highly active on breast, gastric, colon, ovarian, cervical, bone marrow, melanoma, prostate, lung, leukemic, neuroblastoma, liver, Ehrlich, melanoma, and pancreatic cancers. The targets of these leads like tubulin, heme oxygenases, VEGF, tyrosine kinases, EGFR, and others have also been explored. The exploration of the anticancer potential of substituted imidazole compounds is the main topic of this review including synthesis, SAR, and mechanism.

Repurposing FDA-approved compounds to target JAK2 for colon cancer treatment

Colorectal cancer is one of the common cancers worldwide and the second leading cause of cancer-related death. The current treatment has the inherent drawbacks and there is a need of developing a new treatment. Interleukin-6 a pleiotropic cytokine involved in immune regulation and activation of JAK2/STAT3 pathway in colorectal cancer. JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway functions as a critical regulator of cell growth, differentiation, and immune expression. The abnormality in the JAK2/STAT3 pathway is involved in the tumorigenesis of colon cancer including apoptosis. In this study, we identified novel inhibitors for JAK2 protein by performing virtual screening against FDA-approved compounds. To address the selectivity issue, we implemented cross-docking method followed by DFT calculations to understand the chemical reactivity of the identified compounds. Additionally, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed for the top FDA compounds against JAK2 to understand the molecular interactions and structural stability of the complex over a period of 200 ns. Our results indicated that ergotamine, entrectinib, exatecan, dihydroergotamine, and paritaprevir can be used as alternative drugs for colon cancer. In addition, ergotamine was found to efficiently lower the cell viability with IC50 values of 100 µM on colon cancer cell lines. The long-term inhibitory effect of the ergotamine led to a decrease in colony size, and the toxicity properties were studied using hemolysis assay. Our study shows the potential of targeting JAK2 as a novel approach to colon cancer treatment, and demonstrate that ergotamine as a promising effects as an anti-cancer drug.

Prognostic and therapeutic potential of STAT3: Opportunities and challenges in targeting HPV-mediated cervical carcinogenesis

Cervical cancer (CaCx) ranks as the fourth most prevalent cancer among women globally. Persistent infection of high-risk human papillomaviruses (HR-HPVs) is major etiological factor associated with CaCx. Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3), a prominent member of the STAT family, has emerged as independent oncogenic driver. It is a target of many oncogenic viruses including HPV. How STAT3 influences HPV viral gene expression or gets affected by HPV is an area of active investigation. A better understanding of host-virus interaction will provide a prognostic and therapeutic window for CaCx control and management. In this comprehensive review, we delve into carcinogenic role of STAT3 in development of HPV-induced CaCx. With an emphasis on fascinating interplay between STAT3 and HPV genome, the review explores the diverse array of opportunities and challenges associated with this field to harness the prognostic and therapeutic potential of STAT3 in CaCx.

Identification of concurrent STAT3::RARA and RARA::STAT5b fusions in a variant APL case

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) with typically PML::RARA fusion gene caused by t (15;17) (q22; q12) was distinguished from other types of acute myeloid leukemia. In a subset of patients with APL, t (15;17) (q22;q21) and PML::RARA fusion cannot be detected. In this report, we identified the coexistence of STAT3::RARA and RARA::STAT5b fusions for the first time in a variant APL patient lacking t (15;17)(q22;q21)/PML::RARA fusion. Then, this patient was resistant to all-trans retinoic acid combined arsenic trioxide chemotherapy. Accurate detection of RARA gene partners is crucial for variant APL, and effective therapeutic regime is urgently needed.

Inhibition of melanoma cell proliferation by strobilurins isolated from mushrooms and their synthetic analogues

Strobilurins A and X, isolated from Mucidula venosolamellata culture extracts, demonstrated potent inhibition of human melanoma G-361 cell proliferation. Strobilurin X exhibited milder inhibitory effects on human fibroblast cells (NB1RGB) compared to strobilurin A. Additional strobilurin-related compounds were isolated from the other mushroom species. Oudemansins A and B displayed weaker activities on G-361 cells than strobilurins A and B, respectively, emphasizing the importance of a conjugated double-bond structure. Among isolated compounds, strobilurin G showed the lowest IC50 value for G-361 cells. Additional strobilurins bearing various substituents on the benzene ring were synthesized. Synthetic intermediates lacking the methyl β-methoxyacrylate group and a strobilurin analogue bearing modified β-methoxyacrylate moiety showed almost no inhibitory activity against G-361 cells. The introduction of long or bulky substituents at the 4' position of the benzene ring of strobilurins enhanced the activity and selectivity, suggesting differential recognition of the benzene ring by G-361 and NB1RGB cells.

Exploring Novel Frontiers: Leveraging STAT3 Signaling for Advanced Cancer Therapeutics

Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) plays a significant role in diverse physiologic processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation, angiogenesis, and survival. STAT3 activation via phosphorylation of tyrosine and serine residues is a complex and tightly regulated process initiated by upstream signaling pathways with ligand binding to receptor and non-receptor-linked kinases. Through downstream deregulation of target genes, aberrations in STAT3 activation are implicated in tumorigenesis, metastasis, and recurrence in multiple cancers. While there have been extensive efforts to develop direct and indirect STAT3 inhibitors using novel drugs as a therapeutic strategy, direct clinical application remains in evolution. In this review, we outline the mechanisms of STAT3 activation, the resulting downstream effects in physiologic and malignant settings, and therapeutic strategies for targeting STAT3. We also summarize the pre-clinical and clinical evidence of novel drug therapies targeting STAT3 and discuss the challenges of establishing their therapeutic efficacy in the current clinical landscape.

Interplay between signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) proteins and cancer: involvement, therapeutic and prognostic perspective

Signal transducers and activators of transcription or STAT are proteins that consist of various transcription factors that are responsible for activating genes regarding cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. They commonly activate several cytokine, growth, or hormone factors via the JAK-STAT signaling pathway by tyrosine phosphorylation which are responsible for giving rise to numerous immune responses. Mutations within the Janus-Kinases (JAKs) or the STATs can set off the commencement of various malfunctions of the immune system of the body; carcinogenesis being an inevitable outcome. STATs are known to act as both oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes which makes it a hot topic of investigation. Various STATs related mechanisms are currently being investigated to analyze its potential of serving as a therapeutic base for numerous immune diseases and cancer; a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the signaling pathways can contribute to the same. This review will throw light upon each STAT member in causing cancer malignancies by affecting subsequent signaling pathways and its genetic and epigenetic associations as well as various inhibitors that could be used to target these pathways thereby devising new treatment options. The review will also focus upon the therapeutic advances made in cancers that most commonly affect people and discuss how STAT genes are identified as prognostic markers.

Global expression analysis of endometrial cancer cells in response to progesterone identifies new therapeutic targets

Progesterone prevents development of endometrial cancers through its receptor (PR) although the molecular mechanisms have yet to be fully characterized. In this study, we performed a global analysis of gene regulation by progesterone using human endometrial cancer cells that expressed PR endogenously or exogenously. We found progesterone strongly inhibits multiple components of the platelet derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR), Janus kinase (JAK), signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathway through PR. The PDGFR/JAK/STAT pathway signals to control numerous downstream targets including AP-1 transcription factors Fos and Jun. Treatment with inhibitors of the PDGFR/JAK/STAT pathway significantly blocked proliferation in multiple novel patient-derived organoid models of endometrial cancer, and activation of this pathway was found to be a poor prognostic signal for the survival of patients with endometrial cancer from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Our study identifies this pathway as central to the growth-limiting effects of progesterone in endometrial cancer and suggests that inhibitors of PDGFR/JAK/STAT should be considered for future therapeutic interventions.

Defining the Basal and Immunomodulatory Mediator-Induced Phosphoprotein Signature in Pediatric B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (B-ALL) Diagnostic Samples

It is theorized that dysregulated immune responses to infectious insults contribute to the development of pediatric B-ALL. In this context, our understanding of the immunomodulatory-mediator-induced signaling responses of leukemic blasts in pediatric B-ALL diagnostic samples is rather limited. Hence, in this study, we defined the signaling landscape of leukemic blasts, as well as normal mature B cells and T cells residing in diagnostic samples from 63 pediatric B-ALL patients. These samples were interrogated with a range of immunomodulatory-mediators within 24 h of collection, and phosflow analyses of downstream proximal signaling nodes were performed. Our data reveal evidence of basal hyperphosphorylation across a broad swath of these signaling nodes in leukemic blasts in contrast to normal mature B cells and T cells in the same sample. We also detected similarities in the phosphoprotein signature between blasts and mature B cells in response to IFNγ and IL-2 treatment, but significant divergence in the phosphoprotein signature was observed between blasts and mature B cells in response to IL-4, IL-7, IL-10, IL-21 and CD40 ligand treatment. Our results demonstrate the existence of both symmetry and asymmetry in the phosphoprotein signature between leukemic and non-leukemic cells in pediatric B-ALL diagnostic samples.

L-Fucose inhibits the progression of cholangiocarcinoma by causing microRNA-200b overexpression

BACKGROUND

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a malignant biliary tract tumor with an extremely poor prognosis. There is an urgent demand to explore novel therapeutic strategies. L-fucose has been confirmed to participate in anti-inflammation and antitumor activities. However, the effect of L-fucose on the progression of CCA has not been well investigated. This study aimed to determine whether L-fucose induced the inhibition of CCA and its possible mechanism.

METHODS

The anti-growth activity was determined using Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, colony formation assays, Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide (FITC/PI) assay, and cell cycle analysis. The anti-metastasis activity was determined by wound healing, transwell, and invasion assays. The anti-angiogenesis activity was determined by tube formation and transwell assays. MicroRNAs that may be involved in the L-fucose-induced CCA inhibition was analyzed using bioinformatics methods. The preclinical therapeutic efficacy was mainly estimated by ultrasound in xenograft nude mouse models. Differences were analyzed via Student's t test or one-way analysis of variance.

RESULTS

L-Fucose induced apoptosis and G0/G1 cell cycle arrest, inhibited cell epithelial-mesenchymal transition of CCA cells, and additionally inhibited tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in a dose-dependent manner, leading to a decrease in cell proliferation, metastasis, and angiogenesis. Mechanistically, L-fucose induced microRNA-200b (miR-200b) upregulation, and mitogen-activated protein kinase 7 (MAPK7) downregulation was found to be targeted by miR-200b, with decreased cell proliferation and metastasis. Additionally, phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 was found to be downregulated after L-fucose treatment. Finally, in vivo experiments in CCA xenograft models also confirmed the antitumor properties of L-fucose.

CONCLUSION

L-Fucose inhibited the progression of CCA via the miR-200b/MAPK7 and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 signaling pathways.

JAK2 Alterations in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Molecular Insights for Superior Precision Medicine Strategies

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common pediatric cancer, arising from immature lymphocytes that show uncontrolled proliferation and arrested differentiation. Genomic alterations affecting Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) correlate with some of the poorest outcomes within the Philadelphia-like subtype of ALL. Given the success of kinase inhibitors in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia, the discovery of activating JAK2 point mutations and JAK2 fusion genes in ALL, was a breakthrough for potential targeted therapies. However, the molecular mechanisms by which these alterations activate JAK2 and promote downstream signaling is poorly understood. Furthermore, as clinical data regarding the limitations of approved JAK inhibitors in myeloproliferative disorders matures, there is a growing awareness of the need for alternative precision medicine approaches for specific JAK2 lesions. This review focuses on the molecular mechanisms behind ALL-associated JAK2 mutations and JAK2 fusion genes, known and potential causes of JAK-inhibitor resistance, and how JAK2 alterations could be targeted using alternative and novel rationally designed therapies to guide precision medicine approaches for these high-risk subtypes of ALL.

Novel inhibitors of the STAT3 signaling pathway: an updated patent review (2014-present)

INTRODUCTION

STAT3 is a critical transcription factor that transmits signals from the cell surface to the nucleus, thus influencing the transcriptional regulation of some oncogenes. The inhibition of the activation of STAT3 is considered a promising strategy for cancer therapy. Numerous STAT3 inhibitors bearing different scaffolds have been reported to date, with a few of them having been considered in clinical trials.

AREAS COVERED

This review summarizes the advances on STAT3 inhibitors with different structural skeletons, focusing on the structure-activity relationships in the related patent literature published from 2014 to date.

EXPERT OPINION

Since the X-ray crystal structure of STAT3β homo dimer bound to DNA was solved in 1998, the development of STAT3 inhibitors has gone through a boom in recent years. However, none of them have been approved for marketing, probably due to the complex biological functions of the STAT3 signaling pathway, including its character and the poor drug-like physicochemical properties of its inhibitors. Nonetheless, targeting STAT3 continues to be an exciting field for the development of anti-tumor agents along with the emergence of new STAT3 inhibitors with unique mechanisms of action.

Biomarker‑driven phase Ib clinical trial of OPB‑111077 in acute myeloid leukemia

OPB-111077 is a novel, highly specific oral signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 inhibitor that has exhibited good efficacy against solid and blood cancers, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), in preclinical models. In the present study, a phase 1b, two-stage, 3+3 dose-escalation clinical trial [dose level (DL)1 of 200 mg/day and DL2 of 250 mg/day on a once daily dose schedule in 28-day cycles] was conducted to assess the maximum tolerated dose (MTD), safety profile and the preliminary antitumor activity of OPB-111077 in patients with high-risk AML. A preliminary preclinical analysis evaluated the anti-proliferative activity of OPB-111077 in 19 patients with AML with a Vivia Biotech ex vivo PharmaFlow precision medicine test. A total of 12 patients were ultimately enrolled in the trial: 5 patients (42%) were treated with DL1, and 7 (58%) were escalated to DL2 of OPB-111077. Dose-limiting toxicities were not observed and the MTD was not reached. In addition, the most frequently reported treatment-emergent adverse events were nausea, vomiting and fatigue. Finally, clinical activity (overall response) was observed in 3 patients (25%). On the whole, the present study demonstrates that OPB-111077 exhibits a good safety and tolerability profile and an acceptable clinical response in patients with high-risk AML. A biomarker-driven design is useful for selecting the study population upfront.

MicroRNAs and JAK/STAT3 signaling: A new promising therapeutic axis in blood cancers

Blood disorders include a wide spectrum of blood-associated malignancies resulting from inherited or acquired defects. The ineffectiveness of existing therapies against blood disorders arises from different reasons, one of which is drug resistance, so different types of leukemia may show different responses to treatment. Leukemia occurs for a variety of genetic and acquired reasons, leading to uncontrolled proliferation in one or more cell lines. Regarding the genetic defects, oncogene signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) family transcription factor, especially STAT3, play an essential role in hematological disorders onset and progress upon mutations, dysfunction, or hyperactivity. Besides, microRNAs, as biological molecules, has been shown to play a dual role in either tumorigenesis and tumor suppression in various cancers. Besides, a strong association between STAT3 and miRNA has been reported. For example, miRNAs can regulate STAT3 via targeting its upstream mediators such as IL6, IL9, and JAKs or directly binding to the STAT3 gene. On the other hand, STAT3 can regulate miRNAs. In this review study, we aimed to determine the role of either microRNAs and STAT3 along with their effect on one another's activity and function in hematological malignancies.

The Pro-Survival Oct4/Stat1/Mcl-1 Axis Is Associated with Poor Prognosis in Lung Adenocarcinoma Patients

The embryonic stem cell marker Oct4 is expressed in several human cancers and is positively correlated with a poor outcome in cancer patients. However, its physiological role in cancer progression remains poorly understood. Tumor cells block apoptosis to escape cell death so that they can proliferate indefinitely, leading to ineffective therapy for cancer patients. In this study, we investigated whether Oct4 regulates the apoptosis pathway and contributes to poor prognosis in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Our results revealed that Oct4 expression is correlated with Stat1 expression in lung adenocarcinoma patients and Oct4 is directly bound to the Stat1 promoter to transactivate Stat1 in lung adenocarcinoma cells. Expression of the Stat1 downstream gene Mcl-1 increased in Oct4-overexpressing cancer cells, while Stat1 knockdown in Oct4-overexpressing cancer cells sensitized them to cisplatin-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, Oct4 promoted Stat1 expression and tumor growth, whereas silencing of Stat1 reduced Oct4-induced tumor growth in human lung tumor xenograft models. Taken together, we demonstrate that Oct4 is a pro-survival factor by inducing Stat1 expression and that the Oct4/Stat1/Mcl-1 axis may be a potential therapeutic target for lung adenocarcinoma.

Targeting the JAK-STAT pathway in autoimmune diseases and cancers: A focus on molecular mechanisms and therapeutic potential

The Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling pathway is characterized by diverse immune regulatory systems involving cell proliferation, survival, and inflammation and immune tolerance. Aberrant JAK/STAT transduction activates proinflammatory cytokine signaling that jeopardize the immune balance and thus contributes to the development of autoimmune diseases and cancer progression. The success of several small-molecule JAK inhibitors in the treatment of rheumatologic diseases demonstrates that targeting the JAK/STAT pathway is efficient in suppressing inflammation and sheds light on their therapeutic potential in several autoimmune diseases and cancers. In this review, we discuss the signal transduction and molecular mechanism involving immune function through the JAK-STAT pathway, outline the role of this pathway in autoimmunity and oncoimmunology, and explain the preclinical and clinical trial evidence for the therapeutic potential of targeting the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. Issues regarding the safety and clinical efficacy of JAK inhibitors are reviewed. Ongoing studies are addressed with a focus on emerging indications for JAK inhibition and explanations of the novel mechanisms of JAK-STAT signaling blockade.

A natural product phillygenin suppresses osteosarcoma growth and metastasis by regulating the SHP-1/JAK2/STAT3 signaling

Osteosarcoma represents one of the most devastating cancers due to its high metastatic potency and fatality. Osteosarcoma is insensitive to traditional chemotherapy. Identification of a small molecule that blocks osteosarcoma progression has been a challenge in drug development. Phillygenin, a plant-derived tetrahydrofurofuran lignin, has shown to suppress cancer cell growth and inflammatory response. However, how phillygenin plays functional roles in osteosarcoma has remained unveiled. In this study, we showed that phillygenin inhibited osteosarcoma cell growth and motility in vitro. Further mechanistic studies indicated that phillygenin blocked STAT3 signaling pathway. Phillygenin led to significant downregulation of Janus kinase 2 and upregulation of Src homology region 2 domain-containing phosphatase 1. Gene products of STAT3 regulating cell survival and invasion were also inhibited by phillygenin. Therefore, our studies provided the first evidence that phillygenin repressed osteosarcoma progression by interfering STAT3 signaling pathway. Phillygenin is a potential candidate in osteosarcoma therapy.

Protein Kinases in Hematological Disorders

Cell signaling is an important part of the complex system of molecular communication that governs basic cellular activities and coordinates cell cycle machinery. Pathological alterations in the cellular information processing may be responsible for the diseases such as cancer. Numerous diseases may be treated effectively via the pharmacological management of cellular signaling. Protein kinases (PK) have significantly important roles in the cell signal transduction process. Protein kinases phosphorylate serine, threonine, tyrosine and histidine amino acids in a wide variety of molecular networks. Two main PK groups are distinguished; serine/threonine kinase and tyrosine kinases. MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinases), ERK, EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor), src, abl, FAK (focal adesion kinase), and JAK (janus family kinase) are considered as the main PK molecular networks. Protein kinases are closely related to the pathobiology of hematologic neoplastic disorders. For instance; JAKV617F point mutation-causing polycythemia vera and essential thrombocytosis occur at the position 617 in the JH2 domain of the JAK2 gene. The protein kinase inhibitor drugs targeting specific kinase molecules have already been developed and widely used in the field of Clinical Hematology. The existence of a local renin-angiotensin system (RAS) specific to the hematopoietic bone marrow (BM) microenvironment had been proposed two decades ago. Local BM RAS is important in hematopoietic stem cell biology and microenvironment. There are interactions among the local BM RAS and PK. For example, ACE2-ang(1-7)-Mas axis inhibits p38 MAPK/NF-КB signaling pathway. The Local BM RAS may have a role in the effect on PK in this biological spectrum. The aim of this review is to outline the functions of PKs in the pathobiology of hematologic neoplastic disorders.

The Multifaced Role of STAT3 in Cancer and Its Implication for Anticancer Therapy

Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3 is one of the most complex regulators of transcription. Constitutive activation of STAT3 has been reported in many types of tumors and depends on mechanisms such as hyperactivation of receptors for pro-oncogenic cytokines and growth factors, loss of negative regulation, and excessive cytokine stimulation. In contrast, somatic STAT3 mutations are less frequent in cancer. Several oncogenic targets of STAT3 have been recently identified such as c-myc, c-Jun, PLK-1, Pim1/2, Bcl-2, VEGF, bFGF, and Cten, and inhibitors of STAT3 have been developed for cancer prevention and treatment. However, despite the oncogenic role of STAT3 having been widely demonstrated, an increasing amount of data indicate that STAT3 functions are multifaced and not easy to classify. In fact, the specific cellular role of STAT3 seems to be determined by the integration of multiple signals, by the oncogenic environment, and by the alternative splicing into two distinct isoforms, STAT3α and STAT3β. On the basis of these different conditions, STAT3 can act both as a potent tumor promoter or tumor suppressor factor. This implies that the therapies based on STAT3 modulators should be performed considering the pleiotropic functions of this transcription factor and tailored to the specific tumor type.

A functional mutation in the AMPD1 promoter region affects promoter activity and breast meat freshness in chicken

Freshness is an important index to determine the quality deterioration (protein degradation and changes in appearance) of chilled chicken meat and is a primary consideration of consumers. Adenosine monophosphate deaminase 1 (AMPD1) catalyzes the deamination of adenosine monophosphate to inosine monophosphate in skeletal muscle and is the rate-limiting step in the purine nucleotide cycle. Inosine monophosphate is regarded as an important indicator of meat freshness in chicken. This study investigated the association of polymorphisms in the chicken AMPD1 promoter region with meat freshness during freezing storage. An SNP (c. -905G>A) was found to be associated with the freshness (K-value) of chicken breast meat. Chickens with the AA genotype had significantly lower K-values than those with GG and AG genotypes (P < 0.01). Individuals with the AA genotype also had higher breast meat AMPD1 mRNA levels than did those with the GG and AG genotypes (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). A luciferase assay revealed that genotype AA had greater transcriptional activity than genotype GG. Transcription factor binding site analysis identified distinct putative transcription factor binding sites in the two alleles of mutation site c. -905. In summary, we identified an SNP (c. -905G>A) in the promoter region of the AMPD1 gene that may modulate the binding affinity of different transcription factors to control AMPD1 expression and affect the freshness K-value of chicken meat.

Paeoniflorin-6'-o-benzene sulfonate (CP-25) improves vasculitis through inhibiting IL-17A/JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway in endothelial cells of HFD CIA rats

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects not only joints but also multiple organ systems including cardiovascular system. Endothelial dysfunction plays an important role in cardiovascular diseases (CVD). In RA, endothelial dysfunction exists at both the macrovascular and the microvascular levels, which is a precursor to vasculitis. This study aimed to investigate the pathogenesis of vasculitis and the therapeutic effect of CP-25 on vasculitis in high-fat diet (HFD) collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats. Experimental groups were divided into normal group, HFD group, CIA group, HFD CIA group, CP-25 group and MTX group. In vitro, IL-17A was used to stimulate human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), and then CP-25 was used to intervene. Results showed that CP-25 reduced global scoring (GS), arthritis index (AI), and swollen joint count (SJC) scores, improved histopathological score, reduced T cells percentage, and decreased IL-17A and ICAM-1 levels. Besides, CP-25 reduced the expression of p-STAT3 to normal levels in vascular of HFD CIA rats. In vitro, IL-17A promoted the expression of p-JAK1, p-JAK2, p-JAK3, pSTAT3, and ICAM-1, and CP-25 inhibited the expression of p-JAK1, p-JAK2, p-JAK3, p-STAT3, and ICAM-1. In conclusion, CP-25 might inhibit endothelial cell activation through inhibiting IL-17A/JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway, which improves vasculitis in HFD CIA rats.

Acriflavine targets oncogenic STAT5 signaling in myeloid leukemia cells

Acriflavine (ACF) is an antiseptic with anticancer properties, blocking the growth of solid and haematopoietic tumour cells. Moreover, this compound has been also shown to overcome the resistance of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents. ACF has been shown to target hypoxia‐inducible factors (HIFs) activity, which are key effectors of hypoxia‐mediated chemoresistance. In this study, we showed that ACF inhibits the growth and survival of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) cell lines in normoxic conditions. We further demonstrated that ACF down‐regulates STAT5 expression in CML and AML cells but activates STAT3 in CML cells in a HIF‐independent manner. In addition, we demonstrated that ACF suppresses the resistance of CML cells to tyrosine kinase inhibitors, such as imatinib. Our data suggest that the dual effect of ACF might be exploited to eradicate de novo or acquired resistance of myeloid leukaemia cells to chemotherapy.

Genotypic and Phenotypic Characteristics of Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia Translocation Variants

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a special disease entity of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The clinical use of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) has transformed APL into the most curable form of AML. The majority of APL cases are characterized by the fusion gene PML-RARA. Although the PML-RARA fusion gene can be detected in almost all APL cases, translocation variants of APL have been reported. To date, this is the most comprehensive review of these translocations, discussing 15 different variants. Reviewed genes involved in APL variants include: ZBTB16, NPM, NuMA, STAT5b, PRKAR1A, FIP1L1, BCOR, NABP1, TBLR1, GTF2I, IRF2BP2, FNDC3B, ADAMDTS17, STAT3, and TFG. The genotypic and phenotypic features of APL translocations are summarized. All reported studies were either case reports or case series indicating the rarity of these entities and limiting the ability to drive conclusions regarding their characteristics. However, reported variants have shown variable clinical and morphological features, with diverse responsiveness to ATRA.

Phospho-valproic acid (MDC-1112) suppresses glioblastoma growth in preclinical models through the inhibition of STAT3 phosphorylation

New therapeutic strategies against glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) are urgently needed. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), constitutively active in many GBM tumors, plays a major role in GBM tumor growth and represents a potential therapeutic target. We have documented previously that phospho-valproic acid (MDC-1112), which inhibits STAT3 activation, possesses strong anticancer properties in multiple cancer types. In this study, we explored the anticancer efficacy of MDC-1112 in preclinical models of GBM, and evaluated its mode of action. MDC-1112 inhibited the growth of multiple human GBM cell lines in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Normal human astrocytes were resistant to MDC-1112, indicating selectivity. In vivo, MDC-1112 reduced the growth of subcutaneous GBM xenografts in mice by up to 78.2% (P < 0.01), compared with the controls. Moreover, MDC-1112 extended survival in an intracranial xenograft model. Although all vehicle-treated mice died by 19 days of treatment, 7 of 11 MDC-1112-treated mice were alive and healthy by the end of 5 weeks, with many showing tumor regression. Mechanistically, MDC-1112 inhibited STAT3 phosphorylation at the serine 727 residue, but not at tyrosine 705, in vitro and in vivo. STAT3 overexpression rescued GBM cells from the cell growth inhibition by MDC-1112. In addition, MDC-1112 reduced STAT3 levels in the mitochondria and enhanced mitochondrial levels of reactive oxygen species, which triggered apoptosis. In conclusion, MDC-1112 displays strong efficacy in preclinical models of GBM, with the serine 727 residue of STAT3 being its key molecular target. MDC-1112 merits further evaluation as a drug candidate for GBM. New therapeutic options are needed for glioblastoma. The novel agent MDC-1112 is an effective anticancer agent in multiple animal models of glioblastoma, and its mechanism of action involves the inhibition of STAT3 phosphorylation, primarily at its Serine 727 residue.

STAT3 for Cardiac Regenerative Medicine: Involvement in Stem Cell Biology, Pathophysiology, and Bioengineering

Heart disease is the most common cause of death in developed countries, but the medical treatments for heart failure remain limited. In this context, the development of cardiac regeneration therapy for severe heart failure is important. Owing to their unique characteristics, including multiple differentiation and infinitive self-renewal, pluripotent stem cells can be considered as a novel source for regenerative medicine. Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (JAK/STAT3) signaling plays critical roles in the induction, maintenance, and differentiation of pluripotent stem cells. In the heart, JAK/STAT3 signaling has diverse cellular functions, including myocardial differentiation, cell cycle re-entry of matured myocyte after injury, and anti-apoptosis in pathological conditions. Therefore, regulating STAT3 activity has great potential as a strategy of cardiac regeneration therapy. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of STAT3, focusing on stem cell biology and pathophysiology, as they contribute to cardiac regeneration therapy. We also introduce a recently reported therapeutic strategy for myocardial regeneration that uses engineered artificial receptors that trigger endogenous STAT3 signal activation.

Overview of the STAT-3 signaling pathway in cancer and the development of specific inhibitors

Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) proteins represent novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of cancer. In particular, STAT-3 serves critical roles in several cellular processes, including the cell cycle, cell proliferation, cellular apoptosis and tumorigenesis. Persistent activation of STAT-3 has been reported in a variety of cancer types, and a poor prognosis of cancer may be associated with the phosphorylation level of STAT-3. Furthermore, elevated STAT-3 activity has been demonstrated in a variety of mammalian cancers, both in vitro and in vivo. This indicates that STAT-3 serves an important role in the progression of numerous cancer types. A significant obstacle in developing STAT-3 inhibitors is the demonstration of the antitumor efficacy in in vivo systems and the lack of animal models for human tumors. Therefore, it is crucial to determine whether available STAT-3 inhibitors are suitable for clinical trials. Moreover, further preclinical studies are necessary to focus on the impact of STAT-3 inhibitors on tumor cells. When considering STAT-3 hyper-activation in human cancer, selective targeting to these proteins holds promise for significant advancement in cancer treatment. In the present study, advances in our knowledge of the structure of STAT-3 protein and its regulatory mechanisms are summarized. Moreover, the STAT-3 signaling pathway and its critical role in malignancy are discussed, in addition to the development of STAT-3 inhibitors in various cancer types.

Pharmacological Inhibition of Oncogenic STAT3 and STAT5 Signaling in Hematopoietic Cancers

Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (STAT) 3 and 5 are important effectors of cellular transformation, and aberrant STAT3 and STAT5 signaling have been demonstrated in hematopoietic cancers. STAT3 and STAT5 are common targets for different tyrosine kinase oncogenes (TKOs). In addition, STAT3 and STAT5 proteins were shown to contain activating mutations in some rare but aggressive leukemias/lymphomas. Both proteins also contribute to drug resistance in hematopoietic malignancies and are now well recognized as major targets in cancer treatment. The development of inhibitors targeting STAT3 and STAT5 has been the subject of intense investigations during the last decade. This review summarizes the current knowledge of oncogenic STAT3 and STAT5 functions in hematopoietic cancers as well as advances in preclinical and clinical development of pharmacological inhibitors.

Energy Metabolism in Cancer: The Roles of STAT3 and STAT5 in the Regulation of Metabolism-Related Genes

A central characteristic of many types of cancer is altered energy metabolism processes such as enhanced glucose uptake and glycolysis and decreased oxidative metabolism. The regulation of energy metabolism is an elaborate process involving regulatory proteins such as HIF (pro-metastatic protein), which reduces oxidative metabolism, and some other proteins such as tumour suppressors that promote oxidative phosphorylation. In recent years, it has been demonstrated that signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) proteins play a pivotal role in metabolism regulation. STAT3 and STAT5 are essential regulators of cytokine- or growth factor-induced cell survival and proliferation, as well as the crosstalk between STAT signalling and oxidative metabolism. Several reports suggest that the constitutive activation of STAT proteins promotes glycolysis through the transcriptional activation of hypoxia-inducible factors and therefore, the alteration of mitochondrial activity. It seems that STAT proteins function as an integrative centre for different growth and survival signals for energy and respiratory metabolism. This review summarises the functions of STAT3 and STAT5 in the regulation of some metabolism-related genes and the importance of oxygen in the tumour microenvironment to regulate cell metabolism, particularly in the metabolic pathways that are involved in energy production in cancer cells.

STAT3 Activation and Oncogenesis in Lymphoma

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is an important and the most studied transcription factor in the Janus kinase (JAK)/STAT signaling pathway. STAT3 mediates the expression of various genes that play a critical role in many cellular and biological processes, such as cell proliferation, survival, differentiation, migration, angiogenesis, and inflammation. STAT3 and associated JAKs are activated and tightly regulated by a variety of cytokines and growth factors and their receptors in normal immune responses. However, abnormal expression of STAT3 leads to its constitutive activation, which promotes malignant transformation and tumor progression through oncogenic gene expression in numerous human cancers. Human lymphoma is a heterogeneous malignancy of T and B lymphocytes. Constitutive signaling by STAT3 is an oncogenic driver in several types of B-cell lymphoma and most of T-cell lymphomas. Aberrant STAT3 activation can also induce inappropriate expression of genes involved in tumor immune evasion such as PD-L1. In this review, we focus on the oncogenic role of STAT3 in human lymphoma and highlight potential therapeutic intervention by targeting JAK/STAT3 signaling.

PRL-3 exerts oncogenic functions in myeloid leukemia cells via aberrant dephosphorylation of stathmin and activation of STAT3 signaling

PRL-3, an oncogenic dual-specificity phosphatase, is overexpressed in 50% of acute myeloid leukemia patients. Stathmin has been identified as a downstream target of PRL-3 in colorectal cancer. However, the correlation between PRL-3 and stathmin in myeloid leukemia is unclear. In this study, we revealed the positive correlation between PRL-3 and stathmin in myeloid leukemia. Knockdown of the PRL-3 gene by shRNA reduced the expression of downstream stathmin, suppressed cell proliferation, induced G2/M arrest and cell apoptosis, and inhibited migration and invasion in myeloid leukemia cells. Moreover, our study was the first to provide evidence that silencing PRL-3 increased the phosphorylation level in Ser16, Ser25, Ser38, and Ser63 of stathmin, and in turn inhibited the STAT3 and STAT5 signaling in myeloid leukemia cells. This evidence points to a promoted role for PRL-3 in the progression of myeloid leukemia, and PRL-3 could be a possible new treatment target.

Analysis of STAT1, STAT2 and STAT3 mRNA expression levels in the blood of patients with multiple sclerosis

BACKGROUND

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common chronic, inflammatory, autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) maintained by the secretion of a large number of cytokines [1]. The signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) family has an essential role in transmitting many of the cytokine-mediated signals and failure in the signaling process contributes to the etiopathogenesis of MS.

METHODS

This study aimed to assess STAT1, STAT2 and STAT3 gene expression in the blood of 50 relapsing-remitting MS (RR-MS) patients and 50 healthy controls by TaqMan Quantitative Real-Time PCR.

RESULTS

The results showed that STAT1 gene expression was significantly up-regulated (p= 0.023), whereas STAT2 gene expression was significantly down-regulated (p< 0.0001) in MS patients compared to controls. On the other hand, there was no significant difference between MS patients and controls for STAT3 gene expression (p= 0.837). In addition, there was no significant correlation between the expression of STAT1, STAT2, STAT3 genes and clinical findings, such as the level of physical disability in MS patients (according to the Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) criterion) and disease duration.

CONCLUSION

A significant positive correlation was demonstrated between STAT1 and STAT2 and also between STAT1 and STAT3. This study shows for the first time that a comparison of the relative quantitative expression of three different STAT genes in the blood cells of MS patients compared to controls revealed marked differences in the expression of the STAT family genes that might reflect their different roles in the pathogenesis of MS. These transcripts might be useful biomarkers for evaluating the efficacy of IFN treatment of the MS patients.

Activated gp130 signaling selectively targets B cell differentiation to induce mature lymphoma and plasmacytoma

Aberrant activity of the glycoprotein 130 130/JAK/STAT3 (gp130/JAK/STAT3) signaling axis is a recurrent event in inflammation and cancer. In particular, it is associated with a wide range of hematological malignancies, including multiple myeloma and leukemia. Novel targeted therapies have only been successful for some subtypes of these malignancies, underlining the need for developing robust mouse models to better dissect the role of this pathway in specific tumorigenic processes. Here, we investigated the role of selective gp130/JAK/STAT3 activation by generating a conditional mouse model. This model targeted constitutively active, cell-autonomous gp130 activity to B cells, as well as to the entire hematopoietic system. We found that regardless of the timing of activation in B cells, constitutively active gp130 signaling resulted in the formation specifically of mature B cell lymphomas and plasma cell disorders with full penetrance, only with different latencies, where infiltrating CD138+ cells were a dominant feature in every tumor. Furthermore, constitutively active gp130 signaling in all adult hematopoietic cells also led to the development specifically of largely mature, aggressive B cell cancers, again with a high penetrance of CD138+ tumors. Importantly, gp130 activity abrogated the differentiation block induced by a B cell-targeted Myc transgene and resulted in a complete penetrance of the gp130-associated, CD138+, mature B cell lymphoma phenotype. Thus, gp130 signaling selectively provides a strong growth and differentiation advantage for mature B cells and directs lymphomagenesis specifically toward terminally differentiated B cell cancers.

Roles of T875N somatic mutation in the activity, structural stability of JAK2 and the transformation of OCI-AML3 cells

Activating mutations in JAK2 have been described in patients with various hematologic malignancies including acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myeloproliferative neoplasms. However, mechanism of these mutations in JAK2's activity, structural stability and pathology of AML remains poorly understood. The JAK2 T875N somatic mutation has been detected in about 5.2% of AML patients. But the structural basis and mechanism of JAK2 T875N mutation in the pathology of AML is still unclear. Our results suggested that JAK2 T875N mutation disrupted the T875 and D873 interaction which destroyed the compact structure of JH1 domain, forced it into the active conformation, facilitated the entrance of substrate and thus led to JAK2 hyperactivation. Mutations (T875N, T875A, D873A and D873G) disrupted the T875 and D873 interaction enhanced JAK2's activity, decreased its structural stability and JH2 domain's activity which further enhanced JAK2's activity, while mutations (T875R, D873E, T875R/D873E) repaired this interaction displayed opposite results. Moreover, JAK2 T875N mutation enhanced the activity of JAK2-STAT5 pathway, promoted the proliferation and transformation of OCI-AML3 cells. This study provides clues in understanding structural basis of T875N mutation caused JAK2 hyperactivation and its roles in the pathology of AML.

Disruption of R867 and Y613 interaction plays key roles in JAK2 R867Q mutation caused acute leukemia

Janus tyrosine kinase 2 (JAK2) mediates downstream signaling of cytokine receptors in all hematological lineages, constitutively active somatic JAK2 mutations were important for the leukemogenesis of acute leukemia (AL). The JAK2 R867Q somatic mutation is detected in a subset of AL patients. However, roles of JAK2 R867Q mutation in the pathogenesis of AL remain unclear. In this study, homology modeling analysis showed that loss of interaction between R867 and Y613 disrupted the JAK2 JH1/JH2 domain's interactions was responsible for its activation. JAK2 R867Q and mutations (R867A and R867G) abolished this interaction caused JAK2 constitutive activation. While, mutations (R867K, Y613E, R867K/Y613E) repairing this interaction reduced JAK2 R867Q mutation's activity. Furthermore, our studies showed that abolished R867 and Y613 interaction disrupted JH1/JH2 domains' interactions and led to JAK2 constitutive activation. More importantly, mutations (R867Q, R867A and R867G) disrupted this interaction enhanced the activity of JAK2-STAT5 pathway and the proliferation of Ba/F3 and MV4-11 cells. Further study showed that JAK2 R867Q mutation promoted the expression of proliferation marker and inhibited the differentiation marker of Ba/F3 and MV4-11 cells. Thus our studies provide clues in understanding the pathogenesis of JAK2 R867Q mutation in AL.

Role of alternative polyadenylation dynamics in acute myeloid leukaemia at single-cell resolution

Alternative polyadenylation (APA) has been discovered to play regulatory roles in the development of many cancer cells through preferential addition of a poly(A) tail at specific sites of pre-mRNA. A recent study found that APA was involved in the mediation of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). However, unlike gene expression heterogeneity, little attention has been directed toward variations in single-cell APA for different cell types during AML development. Here, we used single-cell RNA-seq data of a massive population of 16,843 bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMCs) from healthy and AML patient samples to investigate dynamic APA usage in different cell types. Abnormalities of APA dynamics in the BMMCs from AML patient samples were uncovered compared to the stable APA dynamics in samples from healthy individuals, as well as lower APA diversity between eight cell types in AML patients. Genes with APA dynamics specific to the AML samples were significantly enriched in cellular signal transduction pathways that contribute to AML development. Moreover, many leukaemic cell marker genes such as NF-κB, GATA2 and IAP-Family genes exhibited APA dynamics that specifically affected abnormal proliferation and differentiation of leukemic BMMCs. Additionally, mature erythroid cells displayed greater APA dynamics and global 3' UTR shortening compared with other cell types. Our results revealed extensive involvement of APA regulation in leukemia development and erythropoiesis at the single-cell level, providing a high-resolution atlas to navigate cellular mRNA processing landscapes of differentiated cells in AML.

Hemp seed/evening primrose oil affects expression of STAT3, IL-17, and FOXP3+ in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

T helper (Th)-17 mediate inflammation in both peripheral tissues and the central nervous system. Signal transducer and activator of transcription factor3 (STAT3) is required for Th-cell pathogenicity and its activation in the brain has been demonstrated during the acute phase of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) through the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling. Rapamycin (RAPA), an inhibitor of mTOR, can drive Forkhead box P3 (FOXP3⁺) induction as a regulatory factor. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of hemp seed/evening primrose oils (HSO/EPO) supplement on the expression of FOXP3⁺, STAT3, and interleukin (IL)-17 genes in EAE lymph nodes. EAE was induced by myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein peptide in mice, and then the mice were assigned to three treatment groups compared to two control groups (EAE and naive). The histological findings of the spinal cord were evaluated. To determine the expression of FOXP3⁺, STAT3, and IL-17 genes in the lymphocytes, qRT-PCR was used. Our results showed that EAE severity was reduced in HSO/EPO mice by reducing the expression of STAT3 and IL-17 genes and increasing the expression of FOXP3⁺ gene, which was confirmed by slight inflammation in the spinal cord. Histological findings showed a significant improvement in the HSO/EPO group. Our findings suggest that the HSO/EPO treatment can be used to ameliorate the demyelination of spinal cord, which was confirmed by immunological and histological findings.

High individual variability in the transcriptomic response of Mediterranean mussels to Vibrio reveals the involvement of myticins in tissue injury

Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) are sessile filter feeders that live in close contact with numerous marine microorganisms. As all invertebrates, they lack an adaptive immune response and how these animals are able to respond to a bacterial infection and discriminate it from their normal microbiome is difficult to understand. In this work, we conducted Illumina sequencing of the transcriptome of individual mussels before and after being infected with Vibrio splendidus. The control mussels were injected with filtered seawater. We demonstrate that a great variability exists among individual transcriptomes and that each animal showed an exclusive repertoire of genes not shared with other individuals. The regulated genes in both the control and infected mussels were also analyzed and, unexpectedly, the sampling before the injection was considered a stress stimulus strong enough to trigger and modulate the response in hemocytes, promoting cell migration and proliferation. We found a clear response against the injection of filtered seawater, suggesting a reaction against a tissue injury in which the myticins, the most expressed antimicrobial peptides in mussel, appeared significantly up regulated. Functional experiments with flow cytometry confirmed the transcriptomic results since a significant alteration of hemocyte structures and a decrease in the number of hemocytes positive for myticin C were found only after a Vibrio infection and not observed when mussels were bled before, generating a tissue injury. Therefore, we report the involvement of myticins in the response to a danger signal such as a simple injection in the adductor muscle.

AZD1208, a Pan-Pim Kinase Inhibitor, Has Anti-Growth Effect on 93T449 Human Liposarcoma Cells via Control of the Expression and Phosphorylation of Pim-3, mTOR, 4EBP-1, S6, STAT-3 and AMPK

Overexpression of Pim kinases has an oncogenic/pro-survival role in many hematological and solid cancers. AZD1208 is a pan-Pim kinase inhibitor that has anti-cancer and anti-adipogenic actions. Here, we investigated the effects of AZD1208 on the growth of 93T449 cells, a differentiated human liposarcoma cell line. At 20 µM, AZD1208 was cytotoxic (cytostatic) but not apoptotic, reducing cell survival without DNA fragmentation, caspase activation or increasing cells in the sub G1 phase; known apoptotic parameters. Notably, AZD1208 reduced phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT-3) in 93T449 cells. STAT-3 inhibition by AG490, a JAK2/STAT-3 inhibitor similarly reduced cell survival. AZD1208 down-regulated phosphorylation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and ribosomal S6 while up-regulated eukaryotic initiation factor-2α (eIF-2α). In addition, AZD1208 induced a LKB-1-independent AMPK activation, which was crucial for its cytostatic effect, as knock-down of AMPK greatly blocked AZD1208s ability to reduce cell survival. AZD1208 had no effect on expression of two members of Pim kinase family (Pim-1 and Pim-3) but inhibited phosphorylation of 4EBP-1, a downstream effector of Pim kinases. Importantly, a central role for Pim-3 in the actions of AZD1208 was confirmed by knock-down, which not only reduced 93T449 cell survival but also led to the inhibition of 4EBP-1, mTOR, eIF-2α and STAT-3, along with the activation of AMPK. In summary, this is the first report demonstrating that AZD1208 inhibits growth of liposarcoma cells and that this activity is mediated through Pim-3 kinase, STAT-3, mTOR, S6 and AMPK expression and phosphorylation pathways.

Macrophage plasticity, polarization and function in response to curcumin, a diet-derived polyphenol, as an immunomodulatory agent

Monocytes and macrophages are important cells of the innate immune system that have diverse functions, including defense against invading pathogens, removal of dead cells by phagocytosis, antigen presentation in the context of MHC class I and class II molecules, and production of various pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines such as IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and MCP-1. In addition, pro-inflammatory (M1) and anti-inflammatory (M2) macrophages clearly play important roles in the progression of several inflammatory diseases. Therefore, therapies that target macrophage polarization and function by either blocking their trafficking to sites of inflammation, or skewing M1 to M2 phenotype polarization may hold clinical promise in several inflammatory diseases. Dietary-derived polyphenols have potent natural anti-oxidative properties. Within this group of polyphenols, curcumin has been shown to suppress macrophage inflammatory responses. Curcumin significantly reduces co-stimulatory molecules and also inhibits MAPK activation and the translocation of NF-κB p65. Curcumin can also polarize/repolarize macrophages toward the M2 phenotype. Curcumin-treated macrophages have been shown to be highly efficient at antigen capture and endocytosis via the mannose receptor. These novel findings provide new perspectives for the understanding of the immunopharmacological role of curcumin, as well as its therapeutic potential for impacting macrophage polarization and function in the context of inflammation-related disease. However, the precise effects of curcumin on the migration, differentiation, polarization and immunostimulatory functions of macrophages remain unknown. Therefore, in this review, we summarized whether curcumin can influence macrophage polarization, surface molecule expression, cytokine and chemokine production and their underlying pathways in the prevention of inflammatory diseases.

Loss of K607 and E877 interaction is a key reason for JAK2 K607N mutation caused acute myeloid leukemia

Oncogenic activation of tyrosine kinase signaling pathway is recurrent in human leukemia. The acquired Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) K607N somatic mutation was detected in about 6.8% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. However, roles of JAK2 K607N mutation in the leukemogenesis of AML remain unclear. In this study, loss of interaction between K607 and E877 was identified as key reasons for JAK2 K607N mutation constitutive activation. JAK2 K607N and mutations (K607A, K607G and E877A) abolished the K607 and E877 interaction caused JAK2 constitutive activation. While, mutations (K607R, E877D) repairing this interaction reduced K607N mutation's activity. Furthermore, our studies showed that disruption of K607 and E877 interaction abolished JH1/JH2 domains' interactions and led to JAK2 constitutive activation. More importantly, JAK2 K607N and mutations disrupted this interaction enhanced JAK2-STAT5 pathway activation and the proliferation of Ba/F3 cells. Thus our studies provide clues in understanding the leukemogenesis of JAK2 K607N mutation in AML.

Positive and Negative Regulatory Roles of C-Terminal Src Kinase (CSK) in FcεRI-Mediated Mast Cell Activation, Independent of the Transmembrane Adaptor PAG/CSK-Binding Protein

C-terminal Src kinase (CSK) is a major negative regulator of Src family tyrosine kinases (SFKs) that play critical roles in immunoreceptor signaling. CSK is brought in contiguity to the plasma membrane-bound SFKs via binding to transmembrane adaptor PAG, also known as CSK-binding protein. The recent finding that PAG can function as a positive regulator of the high-affinity IgE receptor (FcεRI)-mediated mast cell signaling suggested that PAG and CSK have some non-overlapping regulatory functions in mast cell activation. To determine the regulatory roles of CSK in FcεRI signaling, we derived bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs) with reduced or enhanced expression of CSK from wild-type (WT) or PAG knockout (KO) mice and analyzed their FcεRI-mediated activation events. We found that in contrast to PAG-KO cells, antigen-activated BMMCs with CSK knockdown (KD) exhibited significantly higher degranulation, calcium response, and tyrosine phosphorylation of FcεRI, SYK, and phospholipase C. Interestingly, FcεRI-mediated events in BMMCs with PAG-KO were restored upon CSK silencing. BMMCs with CSK-KD/PAG-KO resembled BMMCs with CSK-KD alone. Unexpectedly, cells with CSK-KD showed reduced kinase activity of LYN and decreased phosphorylation of transcription factor STAT5. This was accompanied by impaired production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in antigen-activated cells. In line with this, BMMCs with CSK-KD exhibited enhanced phosphorylation of protein phosphatase SHP-1, which provides a negative feedback loop for regulating phosphorylation of STAT5 and LYN kinase activity. Furthermore, we found that in WT BMMCs SHP-1 forms complexes containing LYN, CSK, and STAT5. Altogether, our data demonstrate that in FcεRI-activated mast cells CSK is a negative regulator of degranulation and chemotaxis, but a positive regulator of adhesion to fibronectin and production of proinflammatory cytokines. Some of these pathways are not dependent on the presence of PAG.

Hepatitis delta virus and hepatocellular carcinoma: an update

Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a defective RNA virus that depends on the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) for the creation of new virions and propagation of the infection to hepatocytes. Chronic infection with HDV is usually associated with a worsening of HBV infection, leading more frequently to cirrhosis, increased risk of liver decompensation and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurrence. In spite of a progressive declining prevalence of both acute and chronic HDV infection observed over several years, mainly due to increased global health policies and mass vaccination against HBV, several European countries have more recently observed stable HDV prevalence mainly due to migrants from non-European countries. Persistent HDV replication has been widely demonstrated as associated with cirrhosis development and, as a consequence, development of liver decompensation and occurrence of HCC. Several treatment options have been attempted with poor results in terms of HDV eradication and improvement of long-term prognosis. A global effort is deemed urgent to enhance the models already existing as well as to learn more about HDV infection and correlated tumourigenesis mechanisms.

Roles of STAT3 in leukemia (Review)

Leukemia is a type of hematopoietic malignancy, and the incidence rate in the United States and European Union increases by an average of 0.6 to 0.7% annually. The incidence rate in China is approximately 5.17/100,000 individuals, and the mortality rate is 3.94/100,000 individuals. Leukemia is the most common tumor affecting children and adults under 35 years of age, and is one of the major diseases leading to the death of adolescents. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a vital regulatory factor of signal transduction and transcriptional activation, and once activated, the phosphorylated form of STAT3 (p-STAT3) is transferred into the nucleus to regulate the transcription of target genes, and plays important roles in cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and other physiological processes. An increasing number of studies have confirmed that the abnormal activation of STAT3 is involved in the development of tumors. In this review, the roles of STAT3 in the pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of leukemia are discussed in the aspects of cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis, with the aim to further clarify the roles of STAT3 in leukemia, and shed light into possible novel targets and strategies for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Quantitative targeted proteomic analysis of potential markers of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) sensitivity in EGFR mutated lung adenocarcinoma

Lung cancer causes the highest mortality among all cancers. Patients harboring kinase domain mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) respond to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), however, acquired resistance always develops. Moreover, 30-40% of patients with EGFR mutations exhibit primary resistance. Hence, there is an unmet need for additional biomarkers of TKI sensitivity that complement EGFR mutation testing and predict treatment response. We previously identified phosphopeptides whose phosphorylation is inhibited upon treatment with EGFR TKIs, erlotinib and afatinib in TKI sensitive cells, but not in resistant cells. These phosphosites are potential biomarkers of TKI sensitivity. Here, we sought to develop modified immuno-multiple reaction monitoring (immuno-MRM)-based quantitation assays for select phosphosites including EGFR-pY1197, pY1172, pY998, AHNAK-pY160, pY715, DAPP1-pY139, CAV1-pY14, INPPL1-pY1135, NEDD9-pY164, NF1-pY2579, and STAT5A-pY694. These sites were significantly hypophosphorylated by erlotinib and a 3rd generation EGFR TKI, osimertinib, in TKI-sensitive H3255 cells, which harbor the TKI-sensitizing EGFR^L858R mutation. However, in H1975 cells, which harbor the TKI-resistant EGFR^L858R/T790M mutant, osimertinib, but not erlotinib, could significantly inhibit phosphorylation of EGFR-pY-1197, STAT5A-pY694 and CAV1-pY14, suggesting these sites also predict response in TKI-resistant cells. We could further validate EGFR-pY-1197 as a biomarker of TKI sensitivity by developing a calibration curve-based modified immuno-MRM assay. SIGNIFICANCE: In this report, we have shown the development and optimization of MRM assays coupled with global phosphotyrosine enrichment (modified immuno-MRM) for a list of 11 phosphotyrosine peptides. Our optimized assays identified the targets reproducibly in biological samples with good selectivity. We also developed and characterized quantitation methods to determine endogenous abundance of these targets and correlated the results of the relative quantification with amounts estimated from the calibration curves. This approach represents a way to validate and verify biomarker candidates discovered from large-scale global phospho-proteomics analysis. The application of these modified immuno-MRM assays in lung adenocarcinoma cells provides proof-of concept for the feasibility of clinical applications. These assays may be used in prospective clinical studies of EGFR TKI treatment of EGFR mutant lung cancer to correlate treatment response and other clinical endpoints.

Implications of STAT3 and STAT5 signaling on gene regulation and chromatin remodeling in hematopoietic cancer

STAT3 and STAT5 proteins are oncogenic downstream mediators of the JAK–STAT pathway. Deregulated STAT3 and STAT5 signaling promotes cancer cell proliferation and survival in conjunction with other core cancer pathways. Nuclear phosphorylated STAT3 and STAT5 regulate cell-type-specific transcription profiles via binding to promoter elements and exert more complex functions involving interaction with various transcriptional coactivators or corepressors and chromatin remodeling proteins. The JAK–STAT pathway can rapidly reshape the chromatin landscape upon cytokine, hormone, or growth factor stimulation and unphosphorylated STAT proteins also appear to be functional with respect to regulating chromatin accessibility. Notably, cancer genome landscape studies have implicated mutations in various epigenetic modifiers as well as the JAK–STAT pathway as underlying causes of many cancers, particularly acute leukemia and lymphomas. However, it is incompletely understood how mutations within these pathways can interact and synergize to promote cancer. We summarize the current knowledge of oncogenic STAT3 and STAT5 functions downstream of cytokine signaling and provide details on prerequisites for DNA binding and gene transcription. We also discuss key interactions of STAT3 and STAT5 with chromatin remodeling factors such as DNA methyltransferases, histone modifiers, cofactors, corepressors, and other transcription factors.

Stat3 Expression in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Association with Clinicopathological Parameters and Survival

The present study sought to explore the occurrence of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3) in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (n=135) and its potential relationship with clinicopathological parameters and survival. Stat3 expression was studied by immunohistochemistry. Cytoplasmic or nuclear localization of Stat3 was observed in 62% of patients, whereas only nuclear Stat3 expression was found in 44%. Stat3 positivity in early-stage patients was 45% compared to 79% in advanced-stage patients. However, early-stage Stat3-positive patients showed a gradual increase in staining intensity, with intense staining seen in 52% of the tumors compared to 18% in Stat3-positive advanced-stage patients, where a gradual decrease in intensity expression was observed (p=0.001). Stat3 showed a significant positive correlation with disease stage (p=0.001), nodal status (p=0.033) and tumor size (p=0.001). Multivariate survival analysis using the Cox proportional hazard regression model showed that nuclear Stat3 was a significant independent prognosticator for both relapse-free survival (p=0.014) and overall survival (p=0.042) in early-stage patients. Our results indicated that Stat3 activation is an early event in oral squamous cell carcinoma and represents a potential risk factor for poor prognosis in early-stage patients.

The effects of signal transducer and activator of transcription three mutations on human platelets

Involvement of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) in inflammation is well known. Recently, a role for STAT3 in platelet activation and platelet production has been suggested. Platelets exhibit important immune functions and engagement of STAT3 in platelet physiology may link inflammation and hemostasis. This study investigated the effects of STAT3 loss-of-function mutations and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in STAT3 on glycoprotein VI (GPVI)-mediated platelet activation and platelet numbers in humans. Two cohorts were studied. The first cohort concerned patients with STAT3 loss-of-function mutations. Platelet numbers were investigated in eight patients and GPVI-mediated platelet activation was functionally tested in four patients. Additional experiments were performed to investigate underlying mechanisms. The second cohort concerned 334 healthy volunteers and investigated the consequences of SNPs in STAT3 on GPVI-mediated platelet activation and platelet numbers. Platelet activation was lower in STAT3 loss-of-function patients at baseline and after stimulation of the GPVI receptor, reflected by decreased P-selectin expression. This was independent of gene transcription. Blockade of the adenosine di-phosphate (ADP) pathway resulted in a further decrease of P-selectin expression, particularly in STAT3 loss-of-function patients. In contrast, the SNPs in STAT3 did not influence GPVI-mediated platelet activation. Also, platelet numbers were not affected by STAT3 loss-of-function mutations, nor was there an association with the SNPs. In conclusion, STAT3 signaling does not seem to play a major role in thrombopoiesis. We confirm that STAT3 is involved in GPVI-mediated platelet activation in humans, independent of gene transcription. GPVI-mediated platelet activation is highly dependent on secondary ADP release. Our findings suggest that STAT3 modulation may affect inflammation, hemostasis, and their interaction.