Inhibitory effects of decoy-ODN targeting activated STAT3 on human glioma growth in vivo.
BACKGROUND
It has been previously found that a constitutively activated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) blocked by decoy-ODN led to glioma growth inhibition in vitro. The objectives of this study were to identify whether STAT3 decoy-ODN had the same effect or not in vivo.


METHODS
Western blot was used to detect p-STAT3 in glioma and normal brain tissue. U251 cells were subcutaneously injected into nude mice and decoy-ODN was intratumorally administrated. TUNEL was used to exam the apoptosis cells in xenografts. Genes regulated by STAT3 were evaluated by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
Activated STAT3 was highly present in glioma but not normal brain tissues. STAT3 decoy-ODN could significantly suppress the growth of glioma by inhibiting proliferation and promoting apoptosis in xenografts. The target genes controlled by STAT3 were down-regulated at both transcription and translation levels.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study suggested that decoy-ODN provide an effective therapeutic approach to treat glioma in vivo.
Shen
Jie
J
Department of Neurosurgery, Qi Lu Hospital of Shandong University, 107 Wenhua Western Road, Jinan 250012, Shandong Province, PR China.
Li
Ronghui
R
Li
Gang
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D005910:Glioma / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008875:Middle Aged; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000737:chemistry*; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*
D009841:Oligonucleotides; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; C494086:STAT3 protein, human