Multicellular Effects of STAT3 in the Tumour Microenvironment

Dear Colleagues,

The signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) plays important roles during embryonic development as well as in the regulation of a range of homeostatic functions in adult tissues. The importance of STAT3 has been widely characterized in pluripotent stem cells and differentiated cellular lineages, including epithelial, fibroblast, endothelial and immune cells. The multicellular contribution of STAT3-dependent activity within the tumour microenvironment has been mainly shown to promote tumour development and metastasis. Conversely, there are distinct circumstances in which the activation of STAT3 has tumour-suppressive effects. Factors contributing to these contrasting effects of STAT3 either on tumour progression or suppression may likely include tumour type, cellular content, tumour molecular signature, stage of disease, as well as treatment exposure. In this Special Issue, we aim to showcase articles (original research and review manuscripts) that highlight the competing roles of STAT3 within the tumour microenvironment. A multitude of STAT3 inhibitors are now in preclinical development or under evaluation in clinical trials for their therapeutic efficacy in cancer. Hence, there is a distinct need for a better understanding of the diverse mechanisms associated with STAT3 activation, and how suppression of STAT3 activity could reduce or enhance tumour progression in different cancers.

Dr. Ashwini L. Chand
Guest Editor

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