Signal transducers and activators of transcription: insights into the molecular basis of oral cancer.
Recent efforts on developing more direct and effective targets for cancer therapy have revolved around a family of transcription factors known as STATs (signal transducers and activators of transcription). STAT proteins are latent cytoplasmic transcription factors that become activated in response to extracellular signaling proteins. STAT proteins have been convincingly reported to possess oncogenic properties in a plethora of human cancers, including oral and oropharyngeal cancer. Signal transduction pathways mediated by these oncogenic transcription factors and their regulation in oral cancer are the focus of this review.
Siavash
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Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Maryland, Dental School, 666 West Baltimore Street, Room 4-C-02, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. hsiav001@umaryland.edu <hsiav001@umaryland.edu>
Nikitakis
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Sauk
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D000818:Animals; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000502:physiology; D016373:DNA, Antisense / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000502:physiology; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D050828:Protein Inhibitors of Activated STAT; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology
D016207:Cytokines; D016373:DNA, Antisense; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D006133:Growth Substances; D050828:Protein Inhibitors of Activated STAT; D011506:Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases