title: STAT-3 activity in chemically-induced hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: The signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)-3 regulates basic biological processes and it has been reported to be constitutively active in different types of malignant tumours. STAT-3 is active during the regenerative growth of the liver, but there are hardly any data about its presence in liver tumours. We investigated and found a high activity of STAT-3 using an electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) in chemically-induced rat hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs). Dexamethasone treatment downregulated both STAT-3 activity and cell proliferation in the tumours. Therefore, the activity of the STAT-3 signal transduction pathway seems to be required for the growth of HCCs and could be a potential new target for therapeutic trials of this tumour type.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, MD, Bethesda, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nagy
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Thorgeirsson
mesh_terms: D015073:2-Acetylaminofluorene / Q000009:adverse effects; D000477:Alkylating Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D000818:Animals; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000009:adverse effects; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004052:Diethylnitrosamine / Q000009:adverse effects; D024202:Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000477:Alkylating Agents; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D002273:Carcinogens; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D015850:Interleukin-6; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; C494088:Stat3 protein, rat; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D004052:Diethylnitrosamine; D012313:RNA; D003907:Dexamethasone; D015073:2-Acetylaminofluorene