title: Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 signaling as a potential target to treat muscle wasting diseases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The review summarizes our current knowledge of the role of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling in skeletal muscle regeneration and the maintenance of muscle mass.
  
  
  RESULTS
  STAT3 signaling plays a pivotal role in regulating the function of multiple cell types in skeletal muscle. This includes muscle stem cells, myofibers, and macrophages. It regulates muscle stem cell function by antagonizing self-renewal. STAT3 also functions in myofibers to regulate skeletal muscle mass. This is highly relevant under pathological conditions where STAT3 activation promotes protein degradation and muscle atrophy. Transient pharmacological inhibition of STAT3 partially prevents muscle wasting. However, the mechanisms responsible for the improvement of muscle condition are not currently well understood. This is because of the complexity of the system, as STAT3 has a critical role in regulating the function of several cell types residing in skeletal muscle.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Muscle wasting is associated with several human diseases such as muscle dystrophies or cancer cachexia. However, currently there are no effective treatments for this condition, and there is a critical need to identify new potential targets for the development of efficient therapeutic approaches.
authors.affiliation: Development, Aging and Regeneration Program (DARe), Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sala
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sacco
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D053687:Adult Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D000066673:Cell Self Renewal / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008954:Models, Biological; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D024510:Muscle Development / Q000187:drug effects; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D020966:Muscular Disorders, Atrophic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D019282:Wasting Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; C494086:STAT3 protein, human