title: Upregulation of survivin by leptin/STAT3 signaling in MCF-7 cells.
abstract: Leptin and its receptors are overexpressed in breast cancer tissues and correlate with poor prognosis. Survivin, a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) gene family, is generally upregulated in tumor tissues and prevents tumor cells from apoptosis. Here we showed that leptin upregulated survivin mRNA and protein expression in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Meanwhile, leptin suppressed docetaxel-induced apoptosis by inhibiting caspase activity. Knockdown of signal transducer and activator transcription 3 (STAT3) expression by small interfering RNA (siRNA) blocked leptin-induced upregulation of survivin. TransAM ELISA showed that leptin increased nuclear translocation of active STAT3. In addition, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay detected an enhanced binding of STAT3 to survivin promoter in MCF-7 cells after treatment by leptin. Further studies showed that leptin enhanced the transcriptional activity of survivin promoter. Collectively, our findings identify leptin/STAT3 signaling as a novel pathway for survivin expression in breast cancer cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Tumor Hospital and Institute, Jinan, Shandong province, China.
authors.forename: Haiping
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Jinming
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Hongbo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Shaoqing
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D020738:Leptin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D000077022:Survivin; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: C107489:BIRC5 protein, human; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D020738:Leptin; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; C494086:STAT3 protein, human; D000077022:Survivin