title: STAT transcription factors in normal and cancer stem cells.
abstract: Signal transducer and activator of transcription proteins (STATs) play vital roles in the regulation of cellular proliferation and survival in normal hematopoietic cells, including hematopoietic stem cells. However, aberrant activation of STATs is commonly observed in a number of hematologic malignancies, and recent studies indicate that targeting of STATs may have therapeutic benefit in these diseases. Additional studies have provided greater understanding of the cells responsible for leukemia initiation, referred to as leukemia stem cells. Emerging evidence indicates that STATs are important in maintaining leukemia stem cells and represent a promising target for eradication of this dangerous cell population. Here we summarize what is known about normal hematopoietic stem cells and the origin of leukemic stem cells. We further describe the roles of STAT proteins in these cell populations, as well as current progress toward the development of novel agents and strategies for targeting the STAT proteins.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, The University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. Electronic address: dorritieka@upmc.edu.
authors.forename: Kathleen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Dorritie
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, The University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Redner
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, The University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D050791:STAT Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D050791:STAT Transcription Factors
keywords: Cancer stem cells; JAK; Leukemia; STAT