title: The role of STAT3 in glioblastoma progression through dual influences on tumor cells and the immune microenvironment.
abstract: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive form of cancer that begins within the brain; generally, the patient has a dismal prognosis and limited therapeutic options. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a critical mediator of tumorigenesis, tumor progression, and suppression of anti-tumor immunity in GBM. In a high percentage of GBM cells and tumor microenvironments, persistent activation of STAT3 induces cell proliferation, anti-apoptosis, glioma stem cell maintenance, tumor invasion, angiogenesis, and immune evasion. This makes STAT3 an attractive therapeutic target and a prognostic indicator in GBM. Targeting STAT3 affords an opportunity to disrupt multiple pro-oncogenic pathways at a single molecular hub. Unfortunately, there are no successful STAT3 inhibitors currently in clinical trials. However, strong clinical evidence implicating STAT3 as a major factor in GBM justifies the identification of safe and effective strategies for inhibiting STAT3.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul 06351, South Korea; Institute for Refractory Cancer Research, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul 06351, South Korea.
authors.forename: Nakho
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul 06351, South Korea; Institute for Refractory Cancer Research, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul 06351, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sun Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neurosurgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, South Korea.
authors.forename: Doo-Sik
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.affiliation: Institute for Refractory Cancer Research, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul 06351, South Korea; Institute for Future Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul 06351, South Korea. Electronic address: nsproper@naver.com.
authors.forename: Hye Won
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul 06351, South Korea; Institute for Refractory Cancer Research, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul 06351, South Korea; Departments of Neurosurgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, South Korea. Electronic address: nsnam@skku.edu.
authors.forename: Do-Hyun
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Nam
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D018450:Disease Progression; D000071221:Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 Protein / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D057131:Immune Evasion; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; C494086:STAT3 protein, human; C498409:EZH2 protein, human; D000071221:Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 Protein
keywords: Glioblastoma multiforme; Prognosis; Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3; Therapeutic target; Tumor microenvironment; Tumor progression