STAT-1 and STAT-3: Closely Related Transcription Factors with Antagonistic Effects on Cell Proliferation and Apoptosis

Authors: D. S. Latchman; A. Stephanou

Source: Current Genomics, Volume 5, Number 5, July 2004 , pp. 453-457(5)

Publisher: Bentham Science Publishers

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Abstract:

The signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs) are a family of transcription factors which were originally identified on the basis of their ability to transduce a signal from a cellular receptor into the nucleus and modulate the transcription of specific genes. Interestingly, recent studies have demonstrated that STAT-1 plays a key role in promoting apoptosis in a variety of cell types, whereas STAT-3 has an anti-apoptotic effect. Moreover, whilst STAT-3 promotes cellular proliferation and is activated in a variety of tumour cells, STAT-1 appears to have an anti-proliferative effect.

Although the initially characterised signal transduction events mediated by STAT-1 and STAT-3 involve the DNA binding and transcriptional activation domains of the factor, some of their other effects appear not to require DNA binding. For example, induction of apoptosis by STAT-1 can be produced by the C-terminal activation domain in the absence of the DNA binding domain. This therefore, appears to involve a co-activator effect in which STAT-1 is recruited to DNA via a DNA-bound transcription factor. In this regard, it is of interest that STAT-1 but not STAT-3 has been shown to interact with p53 and enhance its growth arrest and apoptosis- inducing properties

Hence, STAT-1 and STAT-3 can mediate the regulation of gene transcription both by direct DNA binding and via a coactivator mechanism and despite their very similar structures, have antagonistic effects on cellular proliferation and apoptosis

Keywords: apoptosis; protein interaction; p53; dna damage

Document Type: Review article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1389202043349066

Affiliations: 1: Medical Molecular Biology Unit, Institute of Child Health, University College London, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.

Publication date: 2004-07-01