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  • Original Paper
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Inhibition of constitutively active Stat3 suppresses proliferation and induces apoptosis in glioblastoma multiforme cells

Oncogene volume 21, pages 8404–8413 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common and malignant central nervous system tumor in humans, is highly proliferative and resistant to apoptosis. Stat3, a latent transcription factor being activated by aberrant cytokine or growth factor signaling, acts as a suppressor of apoptosis in a number of cancer cells. Here we report that GBM tumors and cell lines contain high levels of constitutively activated Stat3 when compared with normal human astrocytes, white matter, and normal tissue adjacent to tumor. The persistent activation of Stat3 is in part, attributable to an autocrine action of interleukin-6 in the GBM cell line U251. Janus kinase inhibitor AG490 inhibits Stat3 activation with a concomitant reduction in steady-state levels of Bcl-XL, Bcl-2 and Mcl-1 proteins and induces apoptosis in U251 cells as revealed by Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage and Annexin-V staining. Expression of a dominant negative mutant Stat3 protein or treatment with AG490 markedly reduces the proliferation of U251 cells by inhibiting the constitutive activation of Stat3. These results provide evidence that constitutive activation of Stat3 contributes to the pathogenesis of glioblastoma by promoting both proliferation and survival of GBM cells. Therefore, targeting Stat3 signaling may provide a potential therapeutic intervention for GBM.

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Acknowledgements

Supported by Grant R01-GM60533 (to SJ Haque) from National Institutes of Health.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, 44195, Ohio, OH, USA

    Shaik Ohidar Rahaman, Phyllis C Harbor, Michael A Vogelbaum & S Jaharul Haque

  2. Department of Neurosurgery, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, 44195, Ohio, OH, USA

    Olga Chernova, Gene H Barnett & Michael A Vogelbaum

  3. Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, 44195, Ohio, OH, USA

    S Jaharul Haque

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  1. Shaik Ohidar Rahaman
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Correspondence to S Jaharul Haque.

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Rahaman, S., Harbor, P., Chernova, O. et al. Inhibition of constitutively active Stat3 suppresses proliferation and induces apoptosis in glioblastoma multiforme cells. Oncogene 21, 8404–8413 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.onc.1206047

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