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Merging Absolute and Relative Quantitative PCR Data to Quantify STAT3 Splice Variant Transcripts
Published on: October 9, 2016
Progress in Understanding the IL-6/STAT3 Pathway in Colorectal Cancer
Yan Lin1, Ziqin He1, Jiazhou Ye2
1Department of Medical Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
As a pleiotropic cytokine, interleukin-6 (IL-6) not only regulates the cellular immune response, but it also promotes tumor development by activating multiple carcinogenic pathways. IL-6 expression is significantly elevated in colorectal cancer (CRC) and is closely related to CRC development and patient prognosis. In CRC, IL-6 activates signal transducers and activators of transduction-3 (STAT3) to promote tumor initiation and tumor growth. IL-6/STAT3 signalling has a profound effect on tumor-infiltrating immune cells in the tumor immune microenvironment in CRC. Additionally, IL-6/STAT3 pathway activates downstream target genes to protect tumor cells from apoptosis; drive tumor cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, invasion and metastasis; promote tumor angiogenesis; and stimulate drug resistance. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the many effects of the IL-6/STAT3 pathway in CRC is needed, which the present review examines.
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