Stat3 activates the receptor tyrosine kinase like orphan receptor-1 gene in chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells.
BACKGROUND
The receptor tyrosine kinase like orphan receptor (ROR)-1 gene is overexpressed in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Because Stat3 is constitutively activated in CLL and sequence analysis revealed that the ROR1 promoter harbors gamma-interferon activation sequence-like elements typically activated by Stat3, we hypothesized that Stat3 activates ROR1.


RESULTS
Because IL-6 induced Stat3 phosphorylation and upregulated Ror1 protein levels in MM1 cells, we used these cells as a model. We transfected MM1 cells with truncated ROR1 promoter luciferase reporter constructs and found that IL-6 induced luciferase activity of ROR1-195 and upstream constructs. Co-transfection with Stat3 siRNA reduced the IL-6-induced luciferase activity, suggesting that IL-6 induced luciferase activity by activating Stat3. EMSA and the ChIP assay confirmed that Stat3 binds ROR1, and EMSA studies identified two Stat3 binding sites. In CLL cells, EMSA and ChIP studies determined that phosphorylated Stat3 bound to the ROR1 promoter at those two ROR1 promoter sites, and ChIP analysis showed that Stat3 co-immunoprecipitated DNA of STAT3, ROR1, and several Stat3-regulated genes. Finally, like STAT3-siRNA in MM1 cells, STAT3-shRNA downregulated STAT3, ROR1, and STAT3-regulated genes and Stat3 and Ror1 protein levels in CLL cells.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that constitutively activated Stat3 binds to the ROR1 promoter and activates ROR1 in CLL cells.
Li
Ping
P
Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States of America.
Harris
David
D
Liu
Zhiming
Z
Liu
Jie
J
Keating
Michael
M
Estrov
Zeev
Z
D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D047369:Chromatin Immunoprecipitation; D024202:Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016086:Lentivirus / Q000235:genetics; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D057050:Receptor Tyrosine Kinase-like Orphan Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D057050:Receptor Tyrosine Kinase-like Orphan Receptors