title: Lack of STAT 1 phosphorylation at TYR 701 by IFNgamma correlates with disease outcome in melanoma patients.
abstract: STAT 1, a member of signal transducer and transcription activator family has been implicated as key downstream mediator of interferon (IFN) signaling. Its functional activation requires phosphorylation at Tyr 701 and Ser 727 residues. Various STAT abnormalities have been found in cancer cells but their relation to oncogenesis, tumor behavior and disease outcome remains mostly unknown. We have examined the inducibility of STAT 1 phosphorylation by IFN alpha/gamma in primary cultures established from melanoma lymph node metastases at first progression and correlated our results with disease outcome and overall survival. Forty-four patients at clinical stage I-III at initial diagnosis entered the study. STAT 1 inducibility of phosphorylation by IFNs was assessed in melanoma cell lysates by means of standard immunoprecipitation and Western blotting using polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies. Lack of STAT 1 phosphorylation at Ser 727 after either IFN was recorded in 75% of patients, however, no correlations with disease evolution could be proved. In contrast, STAT 1 phosphorylation response at Tyr 701 after IFNalpha occurred in 13 (29.5%) and after IFNgamma in 32 (73%) patients. Inducibility of STAT 1 activation at Tyr 701 but not at Ser 727 driven by IFNgamma but not by IFNalpha significantly and unfavorably [corrected] influenced disease- free interval and overall survival. In conclusion, these results show that the absence of IFNgamma inducibility of STAT 1 phosphorylation at Tyr 701 positively correlates with disease outcome in malignant melanoma patients and may represent new independent prognostic marker.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Oncology, Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute, 656 53 Brno, Czech Republic. kovarik@mou.cz.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Boudny
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dusek
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Adámková
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chumchalová
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kocak
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fait
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lauerová
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Krejcí
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kovarík
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010766:Phosphorylation; D050794:STAT1 Transcription Factor; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D050794:STAT1 Transcription Factor; C494079:STAT1 protein, human; D015534:Trans-Activators; D007371:Interferon-gamma