Nucleic acid-based approaches to STAT inhibition

Silencing of abnormally activated genes can be accomplished in a highly specific manner using nucleic acid based approaches. The focus of this review includes the different nucleic acid based inhibition strategies such as antisense oligodeoxynucleotides, small interfering RNA (siRNA), dominant-negative constructs, G-quartet oligonucleotides and decoy oligonucleotides, their mechanism of action and the effectiveness of these approaches to targeting the STAT (signal transducer and activator of transcription) proteins in cancer. Among the STAT proteins, especially STAT3, followed by STAT5, are the most frequently activated oncogenic STATs, which have emerged as plausible therapeutic cancer targets. Both STAT3 and STAT5 have been shown to regulate numerous oncogenic signaling pathways including proliferation, survival, angiogenesis and migration/invasion.