STAT3 Inhibiting Platinum Derivatives
STAT3 is one of a seven-member protein family that acts as cytoplasmic signaling agents and nuclear transcription factors. In normal cells, STAT3 is turned on only temporarily. In cancer cells, a mutation of the STAT3 gene produces a constitutively active and/or overexpressed STAT3 gene product.
Increased expression of STAT3 is characteristic of a significant number of tumor types, such as multiple myeloma, leukemias, lymphomas and other blood tumors, melanoma and breast, head and neck, ovarian, lung, pancreatic, prostate and renal cancers.
Since overactive proteins encoded by oncogenes offer the prospect of pharmacologic inhibition, STAT3 may be an ideal anticancer target.
Platinum derivatives discovered by Heidi Kay, Ph.D., interfere with STAT3 activity. The compounds induced apoptosis in STAT3-active cells, while having no effect on cells without persistent STAT3 activity. Various studies showed the ability of the compounds to inhibit certain lung, pancreatic and bladder cancer cell lines in mice, mouse melanoma and colon tumor models and human lung tumors in immunodeficient mice.
RCT is conducting preclinical studies with the goal of filing an IND.
Inventors/Founders
Heidi Kay, Ph.D., University of South Florida, Tampa
RCT Contact
Chad W. Souvignier, Ph.D., Associate
phone: (520) 748-4400
fax: (520) 748-0025
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