Lung cancer treatment potential and limits associated with the STAT family of transcription factors

• Published in: Cellular signalling 2023-09, Vol.109, p.110797-110797, Article 110797
• Main Authors: Faida, Paison, Attiogbe, Mawusse K.I., Majeed, Usman, Zhao, Jing, Qu, Linlin, Fan, Daidi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Drug resistance; Humans; Lung cancer; Lung Neoplasms - genetics; Signal Transduction - physiology; STAT family; STAT inhibitors; STAT Transcription Factors - metabolism; STAT1 Transcription Factor - metabolism; STAT3 Transcription Factor - metabolism; STAT5 Transcription Factor - metabolism; Targeted therapy; Trans-Activators - metabolism
• ISSN: 0898-6568; 1873-3913
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2023.110797

Lung cancer is one of the mortal cancers and the leading cause of cancer-related mortality, with a cancer survival rate of fewer than 5% in developing nations. This low survival rate can be linked to things like late-stage detection, quick postoperative recurrences in patients receiving therapy, and chemoresistance developing against various lung cancer treatments. Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) family of transcription factors are involved in lung cancer cell proliferation, metastasis, immunological control, and treatment resistance. By interacting with specific DNA sequences, STAT proteins trigger the production of particular genes, which in turn result in adaptive and incredibly specific biological responses. In the human genome, seven STAT proteins have been discovered (STAT1 to STAT6, including STAT5a and STAT5b). Many external signaling proteins can activate unphosphorylated STATs (uSTATs), which are found inactively in the cytoplasm. When STAT proteins are activated, they can increase the transcription of several target genes, which leads to unchecked cellular proliferation, anti-apoptotic reactions, and angiogenesis. The effects of STAT transcription factors on lung cancer are variable; some are either pro- or anti-tumorigenic, while others maintain dual, context-dependent activities. Here, we give a succinct summary of the various functions that each member of the STAT family plays in lung cancer and go into more detail about the advantages and disadvantages of pharmacologically targeting STAT proteins and their upstream activators in the context of lung cancer treatment. •Each STAT signaling pathway is activated by cytokines or ligands, and their dysregulation can cause lung cancer.•Inhibiting STAT pathway selectively kills tumor cells, sparing normal cells, due to tumor cell dependency on activated STATs.•Inhibiting STAT signaling pathway boosts chemotherapy by targeting activated STAT proteins that promote cell proliferation.•Blocking STATs might require disrupting their protein–protein interactions and/or DNA binding.