1
|
Chiriac MT, Hracsko Z, Becker C, Neurath MF. STAT2 Controls Colorectal Tumorigenesis and Resistance to Anti-Cancer Drugs. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5423. [PMID: 38001683 PMCID: PMC10670206 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15225423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a significant socioeconomic burden in modern society and is accountable for millions of premature deaths each year. The role of signal transducer and activator of transcription 2 (STAT2)-dependent signaling in this context is not yet fully understood, and no therapies targeting this pathway are currently being pursued. We investigated the role of STAT2 in CRC using experimental mouse models coupled with RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) data and functional assays with anti-cancer agents in three-dimensional tumoroids. Stat2-/- mice showed greater resistance to the development of CRC in both inflammation-driven and inflammation-independent experimental CRC models. In ex vivo studies, tumoroids derived from Stat2-/- mice with the multiple intestinal neoplasia (Min) mutant allele of the adenomatous polyposis coli (Apc) locus exhibited delayed growth, were overall smaller and more differentiated as compared with tumoroids from ApcMin/+ wildtype (WT) mice. Notably, tumoroids from ApcMin/+ Stat2-/- mice were more susceptible to anti-cancer agents inducing cell death by different mechanisms. Our findings clearly indicated that STAT2 promotes CRC and suggested that interventions targeting STAT2-dependent signals might become an attractive therapeutic option for patients with CRC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mircea T. Chiriac
- Department of Medicine 1, Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Pneumology, University Hospital Erlangen, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), University Hospital Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Zsuzsanna Hracsko
- Department of Medicine 1, Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Pneumology, University Hospital Erlangen, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Christoph Becker
- Department of Medicine 1, Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Pneumology, University Hospital Erlangen, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), University Hospital Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Markus F. Neurath
- Department of Medicine 1, Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Pneumology, University Hospital Erlangen, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), University Hospital Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Ludwig Demling Endoscopy Center of Excellence, University Hospital Erlangen, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|