Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 7, 2025

Intracellular Phosphoflow Cytometry of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patient-Derived Xenotransplants
07:38

Intracellular Phosphoflow Cytometry of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patient-Derived Xenotransplants

Published on: June 6, 2025

327

The Role of Janus Kinase/STAT3 Pathway in Hematologic Malignancies With an Emphasis on Epigenetics

Elham Zeinalzadeh1,2, Alexey Valerievich Yumashev3, Heshu Sulaiman Rahman4,5

  • 1Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.

Frontiers in Genetics
|January 7, 2022
PubMed

Insights

The Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathway, particularly STAT3, is crucial in cancer development. Targeting STAT3 through epigenetic modifications offers a promising strategy for treating hematological malignancies.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Epigenetics

Background:

  • The Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathway regulates critical cellular processes, including immune function and development.
  • STAT3 is a key regulator of cell growth and differentiation, and its persistent activation is linked to cancer progression.
  • Aberrant STAT3 signaling and mutations are implicated in various hematopoietic cancers, highlighting its role in tumor survival and invasion.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current knowledge on STAT3 abnormalities and their carcinogenic functions in hematopoietic cancers.
  • To explore novel STAT3 inhibitors and the role of epigenetic mechanisms in STAT3 regulation.
  • To discuss targeted therapies focusing on STAT3-related epigenetic modifications for blood malignancies.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on JAK-STAT pathway, STAT3 function, and epigenetic modifications in cancer.
  • Analysis of existing and emerging STAT3 inhibitors.
  • Focus on epigenetic mechanisms regulating STAT3 in hematopoietic cancers.

Main Results:

  • STAT3 plays a significant role in the proliferation, survival, and invasion of cancer cells.
  • Epigenetic modifications are identified as key regulators of STAT3 activity and function.
  • Several compounds targeting epigenetic enzymes show potential in treating blood malignancies by modulating STAT3.

Conclusions:

  • STAT3 is a critical target for cancer therapy, especially in hematological malignancies.
  • Epigenetic regulation of STAT3 presents a viable therapeutic avenue.
  • Targeting STAT3 through epigenetic modifications offers a promising strategy for novel cancer treatments.
Keywords:
Janus kinaseSTAT3epigeneticsleukemiamethylation

More Related Videos

Time-resolved Förster Resonance Energy Transfer Assays for Measurement of Endogenous Phosphorylated STAT Proteins in Human Cells07:12

Time-resolved Förster Resonance Energy Transfer Assays for Measurement of Endogenous Phosphorylated STAT Proteins in Human Cells

Published on: September 9, 2021

3.8K
Merging Absolute and Relative Quantitative PCR Data to Quantify STAT3 Splice Variant Transcripts11:19

Merging Absolute and Relative Quantitative PCR Data to Quantify STAT3 Splice Variant Transcripts

Published on: October 9, 2016

15.1K

Related Concept Videos

The JAK-STAT Signaling Pathway01:20

The JAK-STAT Signaling Pathway

Several cytokine receptors have tightly bound Janus kinase or JAK proteins attached at their cytosolic tail. Small signaling molecules such as cytokines, growth hormones, or prolactins bind to the cytokine receptors and initiate their dimerization. The dimerization brings the cytosolic JAKs together that trans-phosphorylate and activates each other. The activated JAKs now phosphorylate cytosolic tails of the cytokine receptors, which serve as binding sites for adaptor proteins such as  SH2...
9.5K
PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway01:22

PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway

The mammalian target of rapamycin  (mTOR) is a serine/threonine kinase that regulates growth, proliferation, and cell survival in response to hormones, growth factors, or nutrient availability. This kinase exists in two structurally and functionally distinct forms: mTOR complex 1  (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2  (mTORC2). The first form (mTORC1) is composed of a rapamycin-sensitive Raptor and proline-rich Akt substrate, PRAS40. In contrast,  mTORC2 consists of a...
4.1K
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways01:19

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways

Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
6.6K
Regulation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells01:01

Regulation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells

All blood and immune cells are produced from the multipotent hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) by the process of hematopoiesis. However, they all have a limited life span. In addition, many are depleted in immune surveillance or combatting an injury or infection. This makes blood one of the most regenerative tissues. Hematopoiesis helps replenish these blood and immune cells, restoring the body's normal functioning. However, overproduction of blood and immune cells can make them cancerous or...
3.4K
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
3.9K
MAPK Signaling Cascades01:07

MAPK Signaling Cascades

Mitogen-activated protein kinase, or MAPK pathway, activates three sequential kinases to regulate cellular responses such as proliferation, differentiation, survival, and apoptosis. The canonical MAPK pathway starts with a mitogen or growth factor binding to an RTK. The activated RTKs stimulate Ras, which recruits Raf or MAP3 Kinase (MAPKKK), the first kinase of the MAPK signaling cascade. Raf further phosphorylates and activates MEK or MAP2 Kinases (MAPKK), which in turn phosphorylates MAP...
6.4K