A requirement of STAT3 DNA binding precludes Th-1 immunostimulatory gene expression by NF-κB in tumors

Cancer Res. 2011 Jun 1;71(11):3772-80. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-10-3304. Epub 2011 Apr 18.

Abstract

Both STAT3 and NF-κB are persistently activated in diverse cancers and promote tumor cell proliferation, survival, angiogenesis, and metastasis through transcriptional activation of multiple common genes. Paradoxically, STAT3 also suppresses many NF-κB-inducible genes involved in innate and adaptive antitumor immunity in spite of elevated levels of NF-κB in tumors. In this study, we show that expression of many NF-κB downstream target genes in tumors depends on STAT3 DNA binding. When STAT3 is elevated in tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating immune cells, persistently activated NF-κB interacts with STAT3 and preferentially binds to genes with STAT3-binding site(s) in promoters. A large number of NF-κB downstream genes associated with oncogenesis and chronic inflammation contain STAT3 DNA-binding site(s). However, in contrast, many genes frequently associated with antitumor immunity lack STAT3 DNA-binding site(s) and can only be activated by NF-κB when STAT3 is inhibited in tumors. The introduction of STAT3 DNA-binding sequences by site-specific mutagenesis in an immunostimulatory gene promoter allows its transcriptional activation by NF-κB in tumor cells. Furthermore, STAT3 facilitates NF-κB binding to genes that are important for tumor growth while inhibiting its binding to Th-1 immunostimulatory genes in growing tumors, including in tumor-infiltrating immune cells. The results of this study provide insight into how some of the oncogenic/inflammatory and Th-1 immunostimulatory genes are differentially regulated in cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • Cell Growth Processes / genetics
  • Cell Growth Processes / immunology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Chromatin Immunoprecipitation
  • DNA, Neoplasm / genetics
  • DNA, Neoplasm / immunology*
  • DNA, Neoplasm / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Melanoma / genetics
  • Melanoma / immunology*
  • Melanoma / metabolism
  • Melanoma / pathology
  • Mice
  • NF-kappa B / genetics
  • NF-kappa B / immunology*
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor / genetics
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor / immunology*
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Th1 Cells / immunology
  • Th1 Cells / physiology*
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Transcriptional Activation

Substances

  • DNA, Neoplasm
  • NF-kappa B
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor
  • STAT3 protein, human