Work

Correction: Selective Small Molecule Stat3 Inhibitor Reduces Breast Cancer Tumor-Initiating Cells and Improves Recurrence Free Survival in a Human-Xenograft Model

Year: 2012

Type: erratum

Abstract: Metastasis and disease relapse are hypothesized to result from tumor initiating cells (TICs).Previously, we have defined a CD44+/CD242/low mammosphere-forming tumorigenic 493-gene signature in breast cancer.Stat3 was identified as a critical node in self-renewal based on an ongoing lentiviral shRNA screen being conducted in two breast cancer cell lines SUM159 and BT549.In corroborating work, targeting the SH2 domain of Stat3 with a novel small molecule decreased the percentage of cells expressing TIC markers (CD44+/CD242/low and ALDH+) and mammosphere formation in p-Stat3 overexpressing human breast cancer xenografts in SCID-beige mice.Importantly, we observed a four-fold improvement in the 30-day recurrence-free survival relative to docetaxel alone with the addition of the Stat3 inhibitor in the chemoresistant tumor model.Thus, these findings provide a strong impetus for the development of selective Stat3 inhibitors in order to improve survival in patients with p-Stat3 overexpressing tumors.

Source: PLoS ONE

DOI: 10.1371/annotation/753d15c8-2321-4dc5-9b84-c47bd1bd1639