title: Differentiation-dependent expression of signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs) might modify responses to growth factors in the cancers of the head and neck.
abstract: Overexpression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in the cancers of the head and neck is well demonstrated. In addition, copy numbers of the EGFR mRNA were significantly higher in poorly differentiated tumors than in tumors that had a differentiated phenotype. Studies by others also showed that the constitutively activated signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3), but not STAT1, is required for EGFR-mediated cell growth. Our aim was to reveal if STAT expression is differentiation-dependent and thus, might respond to exogenous stimuli in a differentiation-dependent manner. Both reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry revealed that expression of STAT1 was high in well/moderately differentiated tumors in vivo. In contrast, STAT3 was expressed in poorly differentiated tumors. In vitro experiments showed that differentiated primary oral keratinocytes expressed higher levels of STAT1, but lower levels of STAT3 than did their undifferentiated counterparts. Epidermal growth factor treatment of oral keratinocytes with various degrees of differentiation showed the maximal induction of cyclin D1 in undifferentiated cells. Our findings suggest that the level of differentiation might modulate the outcome of EGFR signaling (i.e. cyclin D1 transcription), due to the differentiation-associated intracellular balance of transcriptional regulators (STAT1 versus STAT3).
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA. aranyistvan@uams.edu
authors.forename: Istvan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Arany
authors.forename: San-H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Judit K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Megyesi
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Adler-Storthz
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Srinivasan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rajaraman
authors.forename: Istvan A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Ember
authors.forename: Stephen K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Tyring
authors.forename: Miriam M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Brysk
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019938:Cyclin D1 / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000502:physiology*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D010766:Phosphorylation; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D050794:STAT1 Transcription Factor; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D006133:Growth Substances; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D050794:STAT1 Transcription Factor; C494079:STAT1 protein, human; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; C494086:STAT3 protein, human; D015534:Trans-Activators; D019938:Cyclin D1