title: Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 in liver diseases: a novel therapeutic target.
abstract: Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a transcription factor that is activated by many cytokines and growth factors and plays a key role in cell survival, proliferation, and differentiation. STAT3 activation is detected virtually in all rodent models of liver injury and in human liver diseases. In this review, we highlight recent advances of STAT3 signaling in liver injury, steatosis, inflammation, regeneration, fibrosis, and hepatocarcinogenesis. The cytokines and small molecules that activate STAT3 in hepatocytes may have therapeutic benefits to treat acute liver injury, fatty liver disease, and alcoholic hepatitis, while blockage of STAT3 may have a therapeutic potential to prevent and treat liver cancer.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Liver Diseases, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Fouad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lafdil
authors.forename: Xiaoni
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D008115:Liver Regeneration; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D005947:Glucose